Renal Medicine Flashcards
What are the risk factors for developing a UTI? (8)
- Female
- Sexual intercourse
- Exposure to spermicide
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Immunosuppressed
- Urinary tract obstruction e.g. stones, catheter
- Urinary incontinence
What are the symptoms of UTI? (10)
- Dysuria
- Urgency
- Increased frequency
- Haematuria
- Suprapubic pain
- Fever
- Rigors
- Vomiting
- Loin-groin pain
- Oliguria (AKI)
If a patient presents with symptoms of a UTI but a urine dipstick if negative, what should you do?
Send off a mid-stream urine sample for MC&S (do this anyway if patient is male/child/pregnant/immunosuppressed)
What are the causes of sterile pyuria? (white cells in urine)
- Inadequately treated UTI
- Appendicitis
- Calculi
- Bladder tumour
- Polycystic kidney
What further investigations for UTI need to be arranged if the patient is male/child/failing to respond to normal treatment?
- USS
- CT KUB
- Cystocopy
What is the advice about prevention of UTIs?
Drink plenty of water
What is the 1st line treatment for UTI in women? (2)
- Nitrofurantoin 100mg modified-release twice a day for 3 days (if eGFR ≥45ml/minute) or
- Trimethoprim 200mg twice a day for 3 days (if low risk of resistance).
What is an AKI?
It is defined by a rapid reduction in kidney function leading to failure to maintain fluid, electrolyte and acid-base homeostasis.
- Rise in creatinine >26umol/L in 48 hours
- Rise in creatinine >1.5 x baseline
- Urine output <0.5mL/kg/h for >6 consecutive hours
What are the risk factors for developing an AKI? (9)
- People aged >65
- History of AKI
- CKD
- Chronic conditions such as heart failure, liver disease, diabetes
- Sepsis
- Hypovolaemia
- Nephrotoxic drugs e.g. NSAIDs, ACEi, diuretics
- Cancer
- Immunocompromised
What are the complications of an AKI? (6)
- Hyperkalaemia
- Other electrolyte abnormalities - hyperphosphataemic, hyponatraemia, hypermagnesaemia, hypocalcaemia
- Metabolic acidosis
- Volume overload - peripheral/pulmonary oedema
- Uraemia - may require dialysis
- CKD
How many someone present with AKI? (4)
- N&V
- Diarrhoea
- Reduced urine output or changes in urine colour
- Confusion, fatigue, drowsiness
- anyone with the risk factors previously mentioned e.g. CKD, heart failure, diabetes, sepsis, recently started on nephrotoxic drugs
How can you differentiate between AKI stage 1 - 3?
Stage 1 is creatinine >1.5x more than baseline
Stage 2 is creatinine >2x more than baseline
Stage 3 is creatinine >3x more than baseline
How should you manage someone with an AKI? (7)
Assess:
- Volume status
- Renal function and serum potassium level
- History to work out underlying cause
- Urine dipstick
- Stop nephrotoxic drugs
- Fluid replacement
What are the components of a fluid assessment? (6)
- Fluid intake and losses
- Peripheral perfusion (cap refill)
- HR/BP
- JVP
- Mucous membranes, skin turgor
- Peripheral oedema/pulmonary crackles
Why is a urine dipstick vital in the case of an AKI?
Can identify if there is infection and/or glomerular disease
What blood test might you consider doing and why if someone presents with AKI and back pain?
Paraprotein electrophoresis and immunoglobulins - chance it is multiple myeloma
What are the causes of CKD? (6)
- Diabetes
- Glomerular disease e.g. acute glomerulonephritis (typically if CKD follow strep upper UTI infection, but also from hep B, C and HIV)
- Hypertension
- Current or previous AKI
- Nephrotoxic drugs
- Multisystem diseases: SLE, myeloma
What are the markers of kidney damage, and what do they need to be in order for CKD to be diagnosed?
- Urinary albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) >3mg/mol
2. eGFR <60ml/min/1.73m
How is accelerated progression of CKD defined?
A decrease in eGFR of more than 25% or a change in CKD category/stage within 12 months, OR a persistent decrease in eGFR of 15ml/min/1.73m within 12 months.
What is Alport’s syndrome?
A sex-linked recessive disease which typically causes haematuria
What are the complications of CKD? (8)
- AKI
- Hypertension and dyslipidaemia
- Cardiovascular: Ischaemic heart disease/peripheral disease, heart failure, stroke
- Renal anaemia
- Renal mineral and bone disorder
- Peripheral neuropathy and myopathy
- Malnutrition (end stage renal disease)
- Malignancy (end stage renal disease)
In addition to an eGFR of less than 60, and/or an ACR of more than 3mg/mmol, what else can aid diagnosis of CKD?
Persistent haematuria - two out of three urine dipsticks test positive (after exclusion of a UTI)
What are the general symptoms of CKD? (10)
- Lethargy
- Itch
- Breathlessness
- Cramps (often worse at night)
- Sleep disturbance
- Bone pain
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Weight loss
- Taste disturbance
What are the more specific symptoms of CKD? (4)
Change in urine output:
- Polyuria
- Oliguria
- Nocturia
- Anuria
What may be the signs on examination of progressive CKD? (10)
- Uraemic odour (ammonia-like smell)
- Pallor (renal anaemia)
- Cachexia and signs of malnutrition
- Dehydration
- Tachypnoea
- Cognitive impairment
- Palpable bilateral flank masses
- Palpable distended bladder
- Peripheral oedema (heart failure secondary to CKD)
- Frothy urine (may indicate proteinuria)
What investigations need to be arranged for someone with CKD? (5)
- eGFR
- Serum creatinine
- Early morning urine sample to measure ACR (sent off for microscopy, not urine dipstick as not sensitive enough for albumin levels)
- Urine dipstick for haematuria
What are the stages for CKD and what measurements do they use?
CKD is in stages 1-5 with a 3a and 3b. It is then ranked further based on urinary ACR into A1, A2 and A3.
What are the eGFR grades for each stage of CKD?
Stage 1 = >90 Stage 2 = 60-89 Stage 3a = 45-59 Stage 3b = 30-44 Stage 4 = 15-29 Stage 5 = <15 (kidney failure)
What do the ACR A1,2,3 grades relate to?
A1 = <3mg/mmol A2 = 3-30mg/mmol A3 = >30mg/mmol
In someone with CKD, what blood tests need to be monitored?
FBC (renal anaemia) Serum calcium Phosphate Vitamin D Parathyroid hormone (renal metabolic and bone disorders)
Which antihypertensive is first line for someone with CKD?
ACEi
What is the aim for blood pressure for people with CKD, dependent on their ACR?
ACR <70mg/mmol aim is <140/90
ACR >70mg/mmol aim is <130/80