Urological Disorders Flashcards
What are the 5 functions of the kidneys?
- Filtration - Removal of waste substance and keeping the essential substance within the blood: e.g. blood cells, large protein including albumin
- Control salt and water balance
- Control of acid/base balance
- Hormone: erythropoietin (EPO) production: essential for synthesis of Haemoglobin (Hb)
- Vitamin D: 1-α-hydroxylation of vitamin D
What occurs when the kidney dysfunctions?
- Filtration failure - Unwell with accumulation of waste substance: haematuria and proteinuria, low serum protein, including albumin, in blood
- Hypertension, water retention (sometimes dehydration because unable to make concentrated urine)
- Metabolic acidosis
- Anaemia
- Vitamin D deficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism
What are the 4 categories of kidney pathologies?
- Inflammatory (infection including cystitis or non-infective causes like metabolic (diabetic nephropathy) or immunological (nephritic and nephrotic syndrome))
- Obstructive (stones, benign prostatic hypertrophy)
- Neoplastic (Kidney, bladder, prostatic, testicular cancer)
- Developmental/Genetic (Polycystic kidneys, horseshoe kidney)
What are common locations and infectious agents?
Cystitis when occurs in bladder or pyelonephritis when occurs in kidneys. Most common pathogen is bacteria but virus and fungi possible in immunocompromised patients.
What are hallmarks of UTI?
Raised temperature, lower blood pressure, raised pulse and softeness over suprapubic area. Urine dipstick will indicate 2+ leucocytes, +nitrite and trace of blood.
What are the treatments for an UTI?
Antibiotics depending on severity of illness, most common bacteria in local area and modified once sensitivity determined from urine culture. Some patients may be very ill and need to be treated as inpatient. Pain control and supportive treatment such as hydration. Consider imaging if other factors or differential diagnosis.
What are immunological causes of kidney damage?
Can be caused by antibodies or other inflammatory cells. Clinical presentation is nephritic syndrome, nephrotic syndrome or proteinuria. Glomerulonephritis: Inflammation of the microscopic filtering units of the kidney.
What is the pattern of organ involvement for kidney damage?
Can be kidney only, kidney and lung or multiple organs/tissues.
What is the diagnostic approach for immunological causes?
History and physical examination Urine test Blood test: including immunology tests Imaging: start with ultrasound Kidney biopsy
What are symptoms of nephritic syndrome?
Haematuria
Variable amount of proteinuria
May have hypertension, reduced urine output, increased urea and creatinine.
Urine dipstick would show 3+ for blood, 2+ for protein
Raised urine:creatinine ratio
Kidney biopsy would show IgA nephropathy
Describe features of IgA nephropathy
The most common primary glomerulonephritis world-wide and very high prevalence in Far East. Deposition of IgA antibody in the kidney (detected by immunohistochemistry). Inflammation and scarring. About 30% progress to kidney failure.
What is supportive treatment for IgA nephropathy?
- Reduce hypertension and treat proteinuria - First line treatment: angiotensin receptor inhibitor (ARB) (e.g. irbesartan) or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) (e.g. ramipril)
- Reduce sodium intake
What immunotherapy is available for IgA nephropathy?
Renal replacement therapy: when reaching late stage kidney disease. Options are kidney replacement and dialysis.
What are common organ specific immunological causes?
Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) antibody mediated: Goodpasture’s disease.
Shared common antigen between lung and kidney: α3chain of type IV collagen.
What are common systemic immunological causes?
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE): autoantibodies: antinuclear factor, anti-dsDNA.
Vasculitis: antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA).