Renal Flashcards
What are the mechanisms of anaemia in CKD?
Which of these is the main mechanism?
4 mechanisms:
- Reduces circulating EPO (main mechanism)
- Reduced dietary iron intake
- Toxic effects of uraemia on bone marrow
- Reduced red cell survival
- Low grade haemolysis
What is the mechanism of hypocalcaemia in CKD?
2-fold:
- Reduced 1-alpha-hydroxylation of vit D
- Hyperphosphataemia
What is the mechanism of hyperkalaemia in CKD?
2-fold:
- Metabolic acidosis:
- bicarbonate loss
- reduced ammonia and acid excretion - Decreased GFR
What are the mechanisms of renal osteodystrophy?
- Renal impairment causes reduced 1,25(OH)2 vit D production causes..
- Decreased intestinal calcium absorption, which causes…
- Secondary hyperparathyroidism which leads to bone breakdown
In CKD, what are the effects upon the blood indices?
RBC: anaemia (various mechanisms)
Platelets: thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction
WCC: defective granulocyte function
What effect does CKD have upon the lipid profile?
Hypertriglyceridaemia - due to decreased plasma lipoprotein lipase activity.
True/False: CKD is associated with glucose intolerance and tissue insulin intolerance.
True.
For Type 1 RTA, describe the following:
- Site of lesion and mechanism for acidosis
- K level in blood
- pH of urine
- Other features
- DT (alpha intercalated cells) inability to excrete H+ into urine, causing severe acidosis
- Hypokalaemia (K+ absorption is linked to H+ excretion)
- More Alkaline (pH greater than 5.5)
- Nephrocalcinosis due to calcium deposition from alkaline urine - children develop Rickets and adults develop osteomalacia
True/False: Bartter and Conn’s syndromes cause hyperkalaemic and metabolic acidosis.
False.
Both cause hypokalaemia and metabolic alkalosis
What type of donor source in renal transplantation for end-stage renal failure yield improved mortality AND quality of life?
Any - cadaveric or live unrelated donors both lead to improved rates in mortality and QoL.
In which part of the nephron is glucose reabsorbed?
Proximal tubule
Most common cause of nephritis in Australia?
IgA nephropathy
Patient with ESRD on HD for 7 years presents with MULTIPLE non-healing leg ulcers that have developed over 2 months. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Calciphylaxis
25F with SLE presents with worsening renal function and proteinuria. Renal biopsy confirms class III focal proliferative lupus nephritis.
What is the most appropriate drug in addition to steroid therapy?
Mycophenolate.
49F smoker presents with haemoptysis and CXR shows bilateral lower zone infiltrates. She is noted to have AKI and urinalysis shows red cell casts and proteinuria.
What investigation would you order?
What is your concern?
anti-GBM to diagnose Goodpastures syndrome
What is the pathophysiology of Goodpasture’s syndrome?
What is the treatment?
Autoimmune reaction to alpha-3 subunit of type IV collagen.
Rx: steroids + cyclophosphamide + plasmaphoresis
What is the main cause of mortality post renal transplant?
Malignancy
T/F: being female is a risk factor for AKI.
True
Asian patient presents with painless macroscopic haematuria, with a history of intermittent episodes of the same. Patient noted to have macroalbuminuria but no signs of nephrotic syndrome.
Diagnosis?
What would be found on biopsy?
IgA nephropathy - Mesangial IgA deposition
What are 3 rare syndromes that can cause HYPOKALAEMIA?
BGL:
Bartter’s syndrome
Gitelman’s syndrome
Liddle syndrome
Which type of confectionary can cause hypokalaemia?
Liquorice
Which common beverage can cause hypokalaemia?
Coca Cola
What is the utility of the Cockcroft Gault equation?
- Estimates GFR via creatinine clearance
- Used for dosing drugs in patients with renal impairment.
Aside from Creatinine, which 3-4 other parameters are required for calculating the Cockcorft Gault equation?
Sex
Age
Weight
+/-Height
Which 3 types of patients are likely to experience water intoxication?
- Long-distance atheletes - marathon/triathlon
- Psychotic patients
- Ecstacy-taking
What is the maximal rate at which the kidneys can excrete a water load per hour?
1L per hour - beyond this the body retains water.
Comment on the following in a case of Thrombotic Microangiopathy (TMA):
- Hb
- Blood film
- LDH level
- Haptoglobins
- Coombs test
- Platelet count
- Hb - anaemia
- Blood film - schistocytes / fragments
- LDH level - high
- Haptoglobins - low (consumed)
- Coombs test - negative (non-immune)
- Platelet count - low (below 150,000)
Patient has anaemia (low Hb, haematocrit and RCC). These results should be interpreted with other tests, however, comment on the likelihood of intravascular/extravascular haemolysis or non-haemolytic causes in the following haptoglobin levels:
- HIGH reticulocyte count + VERY LOW haptoglobins
- HIGH reticulocyte count + NORMAL/LOW haptoglobins
- NORMAL reticulocytes + NORMAL haptoglobins
- HIGH reticulocyte count + VERY LOW haptoglobins
Intravascular haemolysis
2. HIGH reticulocyte count + NORMAL/LOW haptoglobins Extravascular haemolysis (spleen/liver)
3. NORMAL reticulocytes + NORMAL haptoglobins NOT haemolysis (e.g. marrow failure)