Renal and Urology Flashcards
What is acute kidney injury (AKI)?
An acute decline in kidney function, leading to a rise in serum creatinine and/or a fall in urine output
What is the aetiology of acute kidney injury (AKI)?
Pre-renal, renal and post renal
AKI may be due to various insults such as:
- impaired kidney perfusion
- exposure to nephrotoxins
- outflow obstruction
- intrinsic kidney disease
What are the risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI)?
Advanced age
Underlying kidney disease
DM
Sepsis: may result in ATN, pre-kidney AKI from hypotension
Nephrotoxins e.g. aminoglycosides, NSAIDs, vancomycin
What are the pre-renal causes of an AKI?
Reduced renal perfusion:
1. Shock (hypovolaemic, septic, cardiogenic)
2. Hepatorenal syndrome (liver failure)
What are the renal causes of an AKI?
- Acute tubular necrosis: ischaemia, drugs and toxins
- Acute glomerulonephritis
- Acute interstitial nephritis: NSAIDs, penicillins, sulphonamides
- Vessel obstruction:
- Renal artery/vein thrombosis
- Cholesterol emboli
- Vasculitis - Other causes: myeloma, haemolysis, nephropathy
What are the post renal causes of an AKI?
- Stone
- Tumour (pelvic, prostate, bladder)
- Blood clots
- Retroperitoneal fibrosis
What are the presenting symptoms of AKI?
Usually asymptomatic
Lower urinary tract symptoms:
- Urgency
- Frequency
- Hesitancy
Low urine output (oliguria)
Malaise
Anorexia
Nausea and vomiting
Pruritus (itching)
Drowsiness
Convulsions, coma (caused by uraemia)
What are the signs of acute kidney injury (AKI) on physical examination?
- Reduced urine output
- Pulmonary and peripheral oedema
- Arrhythmias (secondary to changes in potassium and acid-base balance)
- Features of uraemia (e.g. pericarditis or encephalopathy)
What are the appropriate investigations for AKI?
- U&Es: serum creatinine (rise of 26 micro mol/L in 48 hours or >50% in 7 days), potassium, sodium and urea
- Urinalysis: all suspected AKI patients, cellular casts (glomerulonephritis)
- Renal ultrasound: if no identifiable cause of deterioration or risk of obstruction
- ECG: changes associated with hyperkalaemia (tented T waves) and CXR
How do you assess a patient’s fluid status in an AKI?
Pulse rate
Lying and standing BP
JVP
Skin turgor
Chest auscultation
Peripheral oedema
Central venous pressure
Fluid and weight charts
ECG monitoring (hyperkalaemia)
What is the management for a patient with an AKI?
Largely supportive
1.Assess hydration and fluid balance: hypovolaemic or hypervolaemic
2. Review patient’s medications
3. Assess hyperkalaemia
How do you manage an hypovolaemic patient with an AKI?
- Fluid resuscitation
- Review medications and stop nephrotoxins
- Identify and treat underlying cause
How do you manage an hypervolaemic patient with an AKI?
- :Loop diuretic (NOT ROUTINE -under specialist supervision) and sodium restriction
- Identify and treat underlying cause
- Consider: renal replacement therapy
Which medications should be stopped in patients with an AKI?
- NSAIDs (except if aspirin at cardiac dose e.g. 75mg od)
- Aminoglycosides
- ACE inhibitors
- Angiotensin II receptor antagonists
- Diuretics
May have to stop: Metformin, lithium and digoxin
‘stop the DAMN drugs’: diuretics, ACEi, metformin and NSAIDs
What are some of the complications of an AKI and what would you switch to?
Hyperkalaemia
Pulmonary oedema
Acidosis or uraemia (e.g. pericarditis, encephalopathy)
Switch to renal replacement therapy e.g. haemodialysis
What is the management of hyperkalaemia?
Medical emergency!
1. Cardio protection: Intravenous calcium gluconate
2. Short term shift in potassium from extracellular to intracellular: Combined insulin/dextrose infusion and nebulised salbutamol
3. Removal of potassium from body: Calcium resonium (orally or enema), loop diuretics, finally dialysis
What is the treatment for acute pulmonary oedema?
P- positioning (sit up)
O- oxygen
D- diuretic (furosemide) and fluid restriction
M- (dia)morphine
A- anti-emetics
N- nitrates (GTN infusion if SBP >110, or 2 puffs GTN spray if SBP >90)
What is amyloidosis?
A (heterogenous) group of diseases characterised by extracellular deposition of insoluble amyloid fibrils
What are the two types of amyloidosis?
- AL amyloid = primary, immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis, associated with Myeloma
- AA amyloid = secondary, non-familial and familial
Non- familial AA = Inflammatory polyarthropathies account for 60% of cases, then chronic infections, IBD
What are the risk factors for amyloidosis?
PMH of inflammatory conditions (AA)
Chronic infections (AA)
Positive FH
What are the renal features of primary amyloidosis (AL)?
Glomerular lesions—proteinuria and nephrotic syndrome
What are the renal features of secondary non-familial amyloidosis (AA)?
PMH of chronic inflammation (e.g. RA/ IBD) or chronic infection (e.g. TB)
May present with proteinuria, nephrotic syndrome, or hepatosplenomegaly
What are the appropriate investigations for amyloidosis?
Diagnosis made with biopsy of affected tissue: positive Congo Red staining with apple-green birefringence under polarized light microscopy
The rectum or subcutaneous fat are relatively non-invasive sites for biopsy and are positive in 80%
What is the management of amyloidosis?
AL: optimize nutrition; PO melphalan + prednisolone extends survival
High-dose IV melphalan with autologous stem cell transplantation may be better
AA: manage the underlying condition optimally
What is the prognosis of patients with amyloidosis?
Median survival is 1–2 years
Patients with myeloma and amyloidosis have a shorter survival than those with myeloma alone
What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?
A common condition seen in older men that presents with lower urinary tract symptoms
What are the risk factors for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Age (50% of >50s, 80% of >80s)
- Ethnicity: Black> White> Asian
How can the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia be categorised?
Lower urinary tract symptoms:
1. Voiding (obstructive) symptoms
2. Storage symptoms (irritative)
3. Post-micturition
4. Complications
What are the voiding symptoms seen in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Weak or intermittent urinary flow
- Straining
- Hesitancy
- Terminal dribbling
- Incomplete emptying
What are the storage symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Urinary urgency
- Increased frequency
- Urinary incontinence
- Nocturia
What is the post-micturition symptom of benign prostatic hyperplasia?
Dribbling
What are the complications of benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Urinary tract infection
- Urinary retention
- Obstructive uropathy
How is benign prostatic hyperplasia investigated?
- Dipstick urine
- Bloods:
a. U&Es if chronic retention is suspected
b. PSA: if there are obstructive symptoms, exclude prostate cancer - Urinary frequency-volume chart: for at least 3 days
- International prostate symptom score
What is the International Prostate Symptom Score in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
A tool for classifying the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms and assessing the impact on quality of life:
1. Score 0-7 = mildly symptomatic
2. Score 8-19 = moderately symptomatic
3. Score 20-35 = severely symptomatic
What are the management options for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Watchful waiting
- Alpha-1 antagonists e.g. tamsulosin
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors e.g. finasteride
(2 and 3 are often used in combination therapy) - Antimuscarinic can be tried if an alpha blocker alone does not improve voiding or storage symptoms e.g. tolterodine
- Surgery = transurethral resection of prostate (TURP)
What is the mechanism of action of alpha-1 antagonists in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Decrease smooth muscle tone of the prostate and bladder
- Used as first line (improve symptoms in 70%) e.g. tamsulosin
What are some of the side effects of alpha-1 antagonists in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Dizziness
- Postural hypotension
- Dry mouth
- Depression
What are 5 alpha reductase inhibitors in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is known to induce BPH
- Indicated if the patient has a significantly enlarged prostate and is considered to be at high risk of progression
- E.g. finasteride
What is the benefit of 5 alpha reductase inhibitors over alpha-1 antagonists for benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Causes a reduction in prostate volume therefore may slow disease progression
- May also decrease PSA concentrations by up to 50%
What are some of the side effects of 5 alpha reductase inhibitors in benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Erectile dysfunction
- Reduced libido
- Ejaculation problems
- Gynaecomastia
What are some of the lifestyle measures in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia?
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol (to reduce urgency/nocturia)
- Relax when voiding and void twice in a row to aid emptying
- Control urgency by practising distraction methods (e.g. breathing exercises)
What is the best way to differentiate between AKI and chronic kidney disease?
- Most patients with CKD will have bilateral small kidneys*
- Hypocalcaemia due to lack of vitamin D
*Some exceptions:
a. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
b. Diabetic nephropathy (early stages)
c. Amyloidosis
d. HIV associated nephropathy
What is chronic kidney disease?
Defined by either:
1. A pathological abnormality of the kidney, such as haematuria and/or proteinuria or
2. A reduction in the glomerular filtration rate to <60 mL/min/1.73 m² for ≥3 months’ duration
What are the common causes of chronic kidney disease?
- Diabetic nephropathy
- Chronic glomerulonephritis
- Chronic pyelonephritis
- Hypertension
- Adult polycystic kidney disease
What are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease?
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
What are the features of chronic kidney disease?
- Usually asymptomatic- diagnosed following abnormal U&Es
- Some patients with undetected late-stage disease may become symptomatic
What are the late-stage disease features of chronic kidney disease?
- Oedema e.g. ankle swelling, weight gain
- Polyuria
- Lethargy
- Pruritus (secondary to uraemia)
- Anorexia, weight loss
- Insomnia
- Nausea and vomiting
- Hypertension
What are the investigations for chronic kidney disease?
- U&Es
- Serum creatinine to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)
- Urinalysis: presence of haematuria, proteinuria, microalbuminuria
- Renal ultrasound: bilaterally small kidneys, presence of obstruction
- Consider imaging for osteomalacia, hyperparathyroidism
What is a common complication of chronic kidney disease?
Secondary hyperparathyroidism:
1. Parathyroid gland hyperplasia as a result of low calcium
2. Biochemical findings: high PTH, low Calcium, high phosphate, low Vit D
What is the best diagnostic marker for chronic kidney disease?
eGFR
What are the different stages of chronic kidney disease?
Stage 1: > 90 ml/min, with some sign of kidney damage on other tests (if all the kidney tests are normal, there is no CKD)
Stage 2: 60-90 ml/min with some sign of kidney damage (if kidney tests are normal, there is no CKD)
Stage 3a: 45-59 ml/min
Stage 3b: 30-44 ml/min
Stage 4: 15-29 ml/min
Stage 5: < 15 ml/min, established kidney failure - dialysis or a kidney transplant may be needed
What factors might affect the eGFR for chronic kidney disease?
- Pregnancy
- Muscle mass e.g. amputees, body builders
- Eating red meat 12 hours prior to sample taken
What are the variables used to calculate the eGFR?
- Serum creatinine
- Age
- Gender
- Ethnicity
What are the different areas of management for patients with chronic kidney disease?
- Mineral bone disease
- Bone disease
- Anaemia
- Hypertension
- Proteinuria
What is proteinuria?
- Presence of protein in the urine
- Important marker of CKD, especially in diabetic nephropathy
- Used as part of the albumin: creatinine ratio
How in an albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR) sample collected?
- ‘spot’ sample
- First-pass morning urine
- If the initial ACR is between 3 mg/mmol and 70 mg/mmol, this should be confirmed by a subsequent early morning sample
- If the initial ACR is 70 mg/mmol or more, a repeat sample need not be tested
What is clinically important proteinuria?
Confirmed ACR of 3 mg/mmol or more
What ACR result is recommended for a referral to a nephrologist?
- Urinary ACR of 70 mg/mmol or more, unless known to be caused by diabetes and already appropriately treated
- Urinary ACR of 30 mg/mmol or more, together with persistent haematuria (two out of three dipstick tests show 1+ or more of blood) after exclusion of a UTI
- Consider if: ACR between 3-29 mg/mmol who have persistent haematuria and other risk factors such as a declining eGFR, or CVD
What is the management of proteinuria in CKD?
- ACE inhibitors (or angiotensin II receptor blockers)
- Should be first-line in patients with coexistent hypertension and CKD, if the ACR is > 30 mg/mmol
- If ACR > 70 mg/mmol they are indicated regardless of the patient’s BP
What is the management of hypertension in CKD?
- Often will require more than two drugs
- First line = ACEi (particularly in patients with diabetes due to proteinuria)
- Furosemide (loop diuretic): useful when eGFR falls below 45ml/min, added benefit of lowering serum potassium
What is an important consideration of using ACEi in CKD?
Tend to reduce the filtration pressure: so there may be a small fall in the GFR or a rise in creatinine (up to 30% is acceptable)
*If it rises more than this, monitor and exclude other causes e.g. AKI
What is an important consideration of furosemide in the treatment of CKD?
If the patient becomes at risk of dehydration (e.g. gastroenteritis) then consideration should be given to temporarily stop the drug
Why do patients with CKD develop anaemia?
- Most important reason is reduced erythropoietin levels
- Normochromic normocytic anaemia
- Becomes apparent when the GFR < 35 ml/min
What are patients with anaemia in CKD at risk of developing?
Left ventricular hypertrophy
What are the causes of anaemia in chronic kidney disease?
- Reduced erythropoietin levels
- Reduced erythropoiesis due to toxic effects of uraemia on bone marrow
- Reduced absorprtion of iron
- Anorexia/ nausea due to uraemia
- Reduced red cell survival (especially if on haemodialysis)
- Blood loss due to capillary fragility and poor platelet function
- Stress ulceration = chronic blood loss
What is the management of anaemia in CKD?
- Aim for a target Hb of 10-12g/dl
- Determination and optimisation of iron status should be carrie out before giving erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) e.g. erythropoietin and darbepoetin
- Oral iron should be given to patients not on ESA or haemodialysis
*ESA should be given to patients who will likely benefit in terms of QoL and physical function
Why do patients with chronic kidney disease develop mineral bone disease?
- 1-alpha hydroxylation normally occurs in the kidneys → CKD leads to low Vit D levels
- Kidneys normally excrete phosphate → CKD leads to high phosphate
What is mineral bone disease in CKD patients?
- High phosphate level ‘drags’ calcium from the bones, resulting in osteomalacia
- Low calcium: due to lack of vitamin D, high phosphate
- Secondary hyperparathyroidism: due to low calcium, high phosphate and low vitamin D
What is the management of mineral bone disease in CKD patients?
- First-line: reduce dietary intake of phosphate
- Phosphate binders
- Vitamin D: alfacalcidol, calcitriol
- Parathyroidectomy may be needed in some cases
What are phosphate binders in the management of mineral bone disease in CKD?
- Bind to dietary phosphate and prevents its absorption
- Other benefits include reducing uric acid levels and improving the lipid profiles
What types of bone disease can develop in patients with CKD as a result of low calcium?
- Osteitis fibrosa cystica (hyperparathyroid bone disease)
- Adynamic (reduction in cellular activity: both osteoblasts and calsts, from over treatment of Vit D)
- Osteomalacia (from low Vit D)
- Osteosclerosis
- Osteoporosis
Which drugs should you avoid in renal failure?
- Antibiotics such as tetracyclines, nitrofurantoin
- NSAIDs
- Lithium
- Metformin
Which drugs are likely to accumulate in CKD and therefore require dose adjustment?
- Most Abx including penicillins, cephalosporins
- Digoxin
- Atenolol
- Methotrexate
- Sulphonylureas
- Furosemide
- Opioids
Which drugs are relativelt safe and can sometimes be given at normal doses in CKD?
- Antibiotics such as erythromycin, rifampicin
- Diazepam
- Warfarin
What is circumcision?
A religious or cultural procedure in which the foreskin is removed just behind the head of the penis
What are the medical indications for circumcision?
- Phimosis: inability to retract the foreskin
- Recurrent balanitis: skin irritation of the head of the penis
- Paraphimosis (MEDICAL EMERGENCY) : if the foreskin is very tight it can get stuck and cannot go back to it’s original position
What is important to exclude prior to circumcision?
Hypospadias: where the opening of the urethra is not located at the top of the penis (birth defect)
Are there any medical benefits of circumcision?
Remains controversial, some evidence suggests:
1. Reduces risk of penile cancer
2. Reduces risk of UTI
3. Reduces risk of acquiring STIs including HIV
What is renal failure?
When the GFR is less than 15ml/min
What is the epidemiology of CKD and renal failure?
- 1in 8 people have CKD
- 10% of those with CKD will go on to develop renal failure
What are the different types of renal replacement therapy?
- Haemodialysis
- Peritoneal dialysis
- Renal transplant
How is the decision about the type of renal transplant therapy made?
- Made jointly by the patient and the healthcare team
- Looks at predicted quality of life and life expectancy
- Patient preference
- Any co-existing medical conditions
What is Haemodialysis?
- Most common form of renal replacement therapy
- Involves regular filtration of the blood through a dialysis machine
- Most patients need dialysis 3 times per week, each session lasting 3-5 hours
- Some patients may be trained to perform home haemodialysis
What surgery is required before a patient can be started on haemodialysis?
- Creation of an arteriovenous fistula: site for haemodialysis
- Must be carried out at least 8 weeks before the start of dialysis
What are some of the complications of haemodialysis?
- Site infection
- Endocarditis
- Stenosis at site
- Hypotension
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- Air embolus
- Anaphylactic reaction to sterilising agents
- Disequilibration syndrome
What is Disequilibration syndrome?
Rare but serious complication of haemodialysis:
1. Neurological symptoms: disturbed consciousness, convulsions, coma
2. Nausea and vomiting
3. Tranisent and self-limiting
4. Can be fatal
What is peritoneal dialysis?
- Filtration occurs within the patient’s abdomen
- Dialysis solution is injected into the abdominal cavity through a permanent catheter
- The high dextrose concentration of the solution draws waste products from the blood into the abdominal cavity across the peritoneum
- After several hours of ‘dwell’ time: the dialysis solution is drained and exchanged with a new dialysis solution
What are the two types of peritoneal dialysis?
- Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: standard therapy, each exchange lasting 30-40 minutes and each dwell time lasting 4-8 hours, the patient may go about their normal activities with the dialysis solution inside their abdomen
- Automated peritoneal dialysis: a dialysis machine fills and drains the abdomen while the patient is sleeping, performing 3-5 exchanges over 8-10 hours each night
What are the complications of peritoneal dialysis?
- Peritonitis
- Sclerosing peritonitis
- Catheter infection/ blockage
- Constipation
- Fluid retention
- Hyperglycaemia
- Hernias
- Back pain
- Malnutrition
What is renal transplantation?
- Involves the receipt of a kidney from either a live or deceased donor
- The average wait for a kidney in the UK is 3 years, though patients may also receive kidneys donated by cross-matched friends or family
What is the procedure of a renal transplant?
- The donor kidney is transplanted into the groin, with the renal vessels connected to the external iliac vessels
- The failing kidneys are not removed
- Following transplantation, the patient must take life-long immunosuppressants to prevent rejection of the new kidney
What is the average lifespan of a donor kidney?
- From deceased donors: 10-12 years
- From living donors: 12-15 years
What are the complications of renal transplant?
- DVT/ PE
- Opportunistic infections
- Malignancies: lymphoma, skin cancer
- Bone marrow suppression
- Recurrence of original disease
- Urinary tract obstruction
- CVD
- Graft rejection
What is the life expectancy of a patient with renal failure that does not receive renal replacement therapy?
6 months
What are some of the symptoms suggestive of a patient not being adequately managed with renal failure?
- Breathlessness
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Pruritus
- Poor appetite/ weight loss or gain
- Swelling
- Abdominal/ muscle cramps
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Cognitive impairment
- Anxiety/ depression
- Sexual dysfunction
What is involved in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis?
- Dialysis solution is injected into the abdominal cavity through a permanent catheter
- The high dextrose concentration of the solution draws waste products from the blood into the abdominal cavity across the peritoneum
- After several hours of ‘dwell’ time: the dialysis solution is drained with all the waste products and exchanged with a new dialysis solution
- Involves x4 2L exchanges a day
How is peritonitis managed as a complication of Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis?
- Antibiotics should cover both gram positive and negative organisms
- Coagulase-negative staphylococci such as Staphylococcus epidermidis is the most common cause
- BNF recommends vancomycin (or teicoplanin) + ceftazidime added to dialysis fluid OR vancomycin added to dialysis fluid + ciprofloxacin by mouth
What is Epididymo-orchitis?
An infection of the epididymis +/- testes resulting in pain and swelling
What are the common causes of epididymo-orchitis?
Local spread of infections:
1. Genital tract e.g. Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (younger patients)
2. Bladder e.g. E.coli (older patients/ low risk sexual Hx)
What are the features of epididymo-orchitis?
- Unilateral testicular pain and swelling
- Urethral discharge (but urethritis is often asymptomatic)
- Important to consider testicular torsion if < 20 years, severe pain and an acute onset
What is the most important differential diagnosis in epididymo-orchitis?
Testicular torsion!
1. Because the patient presents with unilateral testicular pain and swelling
2. Needs to be excluded to prevent ischaemia of the testicle
What is the most common cause of isolated orchitis?
- Rare
- Mumps infection (can be caused by other viral infections)
What are the signs of epididymo-orchitis on examination?
- Diffuse enlargement of the testis
- Erythema of the scrotal skin
- Swelling for < 6 weeks: otherwise indicates chronic inflammation
- Swelling may be tender and eased by elevating testis
What are the investigations for epididymo-orchitis?
Typically guided by age of the patient:
1. Younger adults: assess for STIs e.g. STI screen, urine dip and MCS, urethral swab
2. Older adults with low-risk sexual Hx: mid-stream urine (MSU) for MCS, urine dip
What is the management of epididymo-orchitis?
- If an STI is most likely cause: urgent referral to STI clinic
- If enteric cause is most likely: send MSU and start empiric antibiotics such as quinolone for 2 weeks
- Also analgesia, scrotal support, drainage for any abscess
- Consider further tests if needed to exclude structural abnormalities
What is the management of epididymo-orchitis if the cause is an STI but the organism is unknown?
Ceftriaxone 500mg intramuscularly single dose plus doxycycline 100mg by mouth twice daily for 10-14 days
What are the possible complications for epididymo-orchitis?
- Usually if it is more chronic (enteric organisms > STI)
- Chronic pain
- Reactive hydrocele
- Abscess formation
- Testicular torsion (if not excluded)
- Reduced fertility (rare from testicular atrophy)
What is glomerulonephritis?
Group of diseases that are generally classified by inflammatory changes in the glomerular capillaries and glomerular basement membrane (GBM)
What are the four main types of glomerulonephritis?
- Membranous glomerulonephritis
- Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis
- Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
- Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
What is membranous glomerulonephritis?
- The commonest type of glomerulonephritis
- Third most common cause of end-stage renal failure
What is the usual presentation of membranous glomerulonephritis?
Nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria
What are the causes of membranous glomerulonephritis?
- Idiopathic: due to anti-phospholipase A2 antibodies
- Infections: Hep B, malaria, syphilis
- Malignancy: prostate, lung, lymphoma
- Drugs: gold, NSAIDs
- Autoimmune diseases: SLE, thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis
What are the findings of membranous glomerulonephritis on electron microscopy renal biopsy?
- Basement membrane is thickened with subepithelial electron dense deposits
- This creates a ‘spike and dome’ appearance
What is the management of membranous glomerulonephritis?
- First line: ACEi or ARB to reduce proteinuria
- Immunosuppression (only in severe or progressive disease): corticosteroids plus another agent e.g. cyclophosphamide
- Consider anticoagulation for high risk
What is the prognosis of membranous glomerulonephritis?
- 1/3rd = spontaneous remission
- 1/3rd = remain proteinuric
- 1/3rd = develop end-stage renal failure
What are good prognostic features in membranous glomerulonephritis?
- Female sex
- Young age at presentation
- Asymptomatic proteinuria of a modest degree at presentation
What is post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
Typically occurs 7-14 days following a Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus infection (usually Streptococcus pyogenes)
What is post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis caused by?
- Group A beta-haemolytic streptococcus infection (usually Streptococcus pyogenes)
- This causes immune complex (IgG, IgM and C3) deposition in the glomeruli
Who is most commonly affected in post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
Young children
What are the features of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
- Generally headache and malaise
- Visible haematuria
- Proteinuria: may result in oedema
- Hypertension
- Oliguria
What investigation is used to confirm post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
Raised anti-streptolysin O titre (plus low C3 levels on bloods- not as important)
What are the main differences between IgA nephropathy and post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis ?
Post-strep:
1. Develops 1-2 weeks after URTI
2. Proteinuria
3. Low C3
IgA:
1. Develops 1-2 days after URTI
2. Young males
Both:
1. Recent URTI
2. Visible haematuria
What are the renal biopsy features of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
- Acute, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis
- Endothelial proliferation with neutrophils
- On electron microscopy: subepithelial ‘humps’ caused by lumpy immune complex deposits
- On immunofluorescence: granular or ‘starry sky’ appearance
What is the management of post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis?
- Largely supportive: fluid restriction, anti-hypertensives if severe
- Carries a good prognosis
What is rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis?
- A term used to describe a rapid loss in renal function associated with the formation of epithelial crescents in the majority of glomeruli
- Associated with diseases e.g. Goodpastures, Wegeners
What are the causes of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis?
- Goodpasture’s syndrome (anti-GBM)
- Wegener’s granulomatosis
- SLE
- Microscopic polyarteritis
What are the features of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis?
- Nephritic syndrome
- features of underlying cause:
a. Haemoptysis: Goodpasture’s
b. Vasculitic rash or sinusitis with Wegener’s
What is nephritic syndrome (in context of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis)?
- Haematuria with red cell casts
- Proteinuria
- Hypertension
- Oliguria
What is Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease?
- Previously known as Goodpasture’s syndrome
- Rare type of small vessel vasculitis
- Associated with pulmonary haemorrhage and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
What is Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease caused by?
Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) antibodies against type IV collagen
What is the epidemiology of Anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease?
- More common in Men (2:1)
- Bimodal age distribution: peaks at 20-30 and 60-70
- Associated with HLA DR2
What are the features of Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease?
- Pulmonary haemorrhage
- Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: rapid onset acute kidney injury plus nephritis (proteinuria and haematuria)
What are the investigations for Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease?
- Renal biopsy: linear IgG deposits along basement membrane
- Raised transfer factor secondary to pulmonary haemorrhage
What is the management of Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease?
- Plasma exchange: plasmapharesis
- Steroids
- Cyclophosphamide
What increases the likelihood of pulmonary haemorrhage in anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease?
- Smoking
- LRTI
- Pulmonary oedema
- Inhalation of hydrocarbons
- Young males
What is membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis?
- Also known as mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis
- May present as nephrotic syndrome, haematuria or proteinuria
- Carries a poor prognosis
What are the different types of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis?
Type 1: 90% of cases, caused by hepatitis C
Type 2: ‘dense deposit disease’, caused by partial lipodystrophy
Type 3: Caused by hepatitis B and C
What is the management of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis?
Steroids may be effective
What is nephrotic syndrome?
Triad of:
1. Proteinuria (>3g/24 hours)
2. Hypoalbuminaemia (<30g/L)
3. Oedema
*proteinuria leads to hypoalbuminaemia and oedema
What diseases are associated with nephrotic syndrome?
- Minimal change disease
- Membranous glomerulonephritis (and the other 3 types of glomerulonephritis)
- Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
- Amyloidosis
- Diabetic nephropathy
What is nephritic syndrome?
- Haematuria with red cell casts
- Proteinuria
- Hypertension
- Oliguria
What diseases are associated with nephritic syndrome?
- Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis
- IgA nephropathy
- Alport syndrome
What is a hydrocele?
Accumulation of fluid within the tunica vaginalis (between the parietal and visceral layers of the membrane that surrounds the testes)
What can hydroceles be divided into?
Communicating and non-communicating
What is a communicating hydrocele?
- Caused by patency of the processus vaginalis
- Allows peritoneal fluid to drain down into the scrotum
In what group are communicating hydroceles common in?
Newborn males: usually resolve within the first few months of life
What is a non-communicating hydrocele?
Caused by excessive fluid production within the tunica vaginalis
What are the common causes of hydroceles?
Occur secondary to:
1. Epididymo-orchitis
2. Testicular torsion
3. Testicular tumours
What are the features of a hydrocele?
- Soft, non-tender swelling of the hemi-scrotum (anterior and below the testicle)
- Swelling in confined to the scrotum (examination can get ‘above’ the mass)
- Transilluminated with a pen torch*
- Testis may be difficult to palpate if the hydrocele is large
How is a hydrocele diagnosed?
- Clinically
- Ultrasound is required if there is any doubt in diagnosis or if underlying testis cannot be palpated
How are hydroceles managed?
- Infantile hydroceles: repaired if they do not resolve spontaneously by the age of 1-2 years
- Adults = conservative (scrotal ) approach (depends on severity of presentation and what it is secondary to e.g. testicular torsion)
a. Further investigation (e.g. ultrasound) is warranted to exclude an underlying cause such as testicular tumour
b. Hydrocele sac can be excised or plicated
What are the main considerations of a hydrocele?
- Non painful, soft fluctuant swelling
- Usually contain clear fluid
- Will often transilluminate
- May be the presenting feature of testicular cancer in young men