Paediatric Nephrology Flashcards
What are the five main functions of the kidney?
- Waste handling
- Water handling
- Salt balance
- Acid base control
- Endocrine (erythropoeitin / RAAS / PTH)
What are two of the main presenting symptoms in nephrology?
Haematuria (indicative of nephritic syndrome)
Proteinuria (indicative of nephrotic syndrome)
What is proteinuria a sign of?
Glomerular injury
Which glomerulopathies tend to affect the epithelial cells (podocytes) of the glomerulus? The basement membrane? The Endothelial cells? The mesangial cells?
Podocyte - minimal change disease
Basement membrane - post infective glomerulonephritis (PIGN)
Endothelial cells - PIGN, haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)
Mesangial cells - HSP / IgA nephropathy
What are the different methods of detecting and quantifying protein in the urine?
Dip stick - (>3+ abnormal) measures concentration
Protein : Creatinine ratio - early morning urine is best (normal < 20, nephrotic >250)
24hr urine collection (gold standard, not that practical)
Descrube the pathophysiology of nephrotic syndrome?
Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by injury to the glomeruli which leads to excessive proteinuria
This causes hypoalbuminaemia
This leads to significant oedema
How does nephrotic syndrome tend to present?
Significant oedema (pitting, periorbital, ascites, small pleural effusions)
Can be hyper, hypo or normo tensive
Frothy urine
Inflated weight
Microscopic haematuria & low urine Na also common
Investigations for suspected nephrotic syndrome?
Urine protein, urine Na
Protein creatinine ratio (urine)
Bloods: albumin, creatinine
What is the most common kidney pathology in children? What clinical features would be expected?
Minimal change disease
- Normal blood pressure
- No frank haematuria
- normal renal function
How is minimal change disease treated in children? What are some possible side effects of treatment?
Prednisolone for 8 weeks (anti-inflammatory)
Personality change
Susceptibility to infection
Hypertension
Increased acid production (GI)
What is one characteristic of MCD with regards to treatment that helps separate it from other glomerulonephropathies?
MCD tends to respond to steroid treatment
What is the prognosis for MCD in children like?
It’s good
80% experience long term remission, others require long time immunosuppression
What causes MCD?
Lympocytes (Ts and Bs) attack podocytes of the glomerulus
What is the most common acquired cause of steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome?
Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
Characterized by podocyte loss and progressive inflammation and sclerosis
What is the course of action if haematuria is detected in a child?
Frank haematuria - always investigate
Microscopic haematuria - positive 3 times and then investigate, or positive once with accompanying proteinuria
What are some possible causes of haematuria?
Glomerulonephritis Malignancies - sarcomas UTI Stones Trauma Urethritis
What component of the glomerulus is usually injured in the presence of frank haematuria?
Endothelial cell
- Post infective glomerulonephritis
- Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
- Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis
- Lupus
- ANCA vasculitis
What investigations may be done to check for post infective glomerulonephritis?
ASOT (positive - checks for strep A)
Bacterial culture
Urine dipstick (blood / protein)
Renal USS
Immunology workup (C3 & C4)
What are some symptoms that may be seen in acute post infective glomerulonephritis?
Haematuria (+/- proteinuria)
Hypertension
Oedema