Symptoms and Signs of Kidney Disease

Question 1

What are the common presentations of kidney disease?

Answer 1

Generalised symptoms eg malaise, tiredness
Symptoms related to underlying causative disease
Symptoms of advanced renal impairment

Question 2

What are some common causes of kidney disease?

Answer 2

Diabetes, high blood pressure, glomerulonephritis, sepsis, cystic kidney disease, nephrotoxins, hypovolaemia

Question 3

What are usually the presenting complaints seen in CKD?

Answer 3

Abnormal blood/dipstick result
Fatigue/malaise 
Loss of appetite/weight loss
Acute illness/recent infection
Ankle swelling
Haematuria
Nocturia

Question 4

What are usually the presenting complaints seen in AKI?

Answer 4

Preceding illness/infection
Fatigue/malaise
Ankle swelling
Shortness of breath
Nausea/vomiting
Pain (eg loin)
Change in urine amount/colour
Fever

Question 5

What are risk factors for kidney disease?

Answer 5

Diabetes, hypertension, IHD, cerebrovascular disease, enuresis

Question 6

How does the skin tone appear in a patient with uraemia?

Answer 6

Grey/brown

Question 7

What are some pathological causes of proteinuria?

Answer 7

UTI, inflammation, CKD, AKI, glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis

Question 8

What are some causes of haematuria?

Answer 8

Pyelonephritis, renal calculi, trauma, renal cysts, RCC, polycystic kidney disease, TB, cystitis, TCC, BPH, prostate cancer

Question 9

When can white cells be shown as positive on a dipstick?

Answer 9

Infection, GN, neoplasms, stones