Urology - Abnormal urine Flashcards
What is an acid?
H+ donor (total dissociation)
What is a base
H+ acceptor
What is a weak acid
HA ⇌ H ⁺ + A⁻ (partial dissociation)
What is a weak base
B + H ⁺ ⇌ BH⁺ (partial dissociation)
What is a buffered solution
A solution in which the addition of an acid or base does not affect the pH of the solution
Give Examples of physiological buffers
Bicarbonate [HCO₃⁻]
Phosphate [H₂PO₄⁻], [HPO₄2-]
Plasma proteins
Haemoglobin
What is the pH range where life can exist
6.8-7.8
What is the normal pH of the body
7.3 -7.4
Why is pH so tightly regulated
Enzyme dysfunction and denaturation =- DEATH
How is acid and alkali generated in the body
Diet (high meat is more acidic) and cellular metabolism (main reason)
What is the Bicarbonate buffer system equation
CO2 + H2O ⇌ H2CO3 ⇌ H ⁺ + HCO3-
What happens if you add to a weak acid
The conjugate base [A ⁻] of the partially dissociated weak acid [HA] neutralises the acid
What happens if you add a weak base
The hydrogen ion [H⁺] from the partially dissociated weak base [BH ⁺ ] neutralises the weak alkali
Where is the bicarbonate buffer system in the body located
CO2 + H 2O (lungs - resp)⇌ H 2CO3 ⇌ H ⁺ + HCO 3- (kidneys - metabolic)
What enzyme catalyses CO2 + H 2O ⇌ H 2CO
carbonic anhydrase (SLOW reaction)
what causes the reaction in H 2CO3 ⇌ H ⁺ + HCO 3-
FAST ionisation reaction
What is the weak acid in the equation CO2 + H 2O ⇌ H 2CO3 ⇌ H ⁺ + HCO 3-
H2CO3
What is the conjugate base in the equation CO2 + H 2O ⇌ H 2CO3 ⇌ H ⁺ + HCO 3-
HCO3-
Where is CO2 excreted
Lungs
Define acidaemia
an arterial pH below the normal range (<7.35)
What does a disturbance in bicarbonate primarily
Metabolic disorder
What does a disturbance in
respiratory disorder
Define alkalaemia
an arterial pH above the normal range (>7.45)
Define alkalosis
A process that tends to raise the extracellular fluid pH
Define acidosis
process that tends to lower the extracellular fluid pH
Why is reclamation of filtered bicarbonate and generation of new bicarbonate needed
To neutralise the net endogenous acid production (NEAP) (approx 50-100mmol/day)
How is pH maintained in the kidney
NEAP = RNAE
What should RNAE be in a 70kg person
70mEq
3 ways to get rid of acid
Bicarbonate, lungs, excretion of H+ by kidneys
How does the renal tubular reabsorb bicarbonate an decrease H+
reabsorbed an H+ is secreted
What are the 2 things kidneys do to maintain pH
Reclamation of bicarbonate
Generate new bicarb
How is HCO3 reabsorbed in early and late segments
H+ moves into tubular lumen - forms H2CO3 (conjugate), then separated with an enzyme to CO2 and H2O.
CO2 and H2O diffuses back into cell.
Once again is split into HCO3 and H+ by carbolic anhydrase
The H+ generated is used again to move into the tubular lumen.
1 H+ out 1HCO3 in
how does urinary phosphate (Pi) buffers generate new bicarbonate
Acidosis stimulates excretion of urinary Pi
buffers as titratable acid
How does synthesis of NH4+ from NH3 generate new bicarb
Acidosis stimulates renal ammoniagenesis
from glutamine
What is the pH range of urine
4.5- 8.0
What is the concentration of free H+ in urine at pH 4
0.1mmol/L
What would happen if no bufferes were used in urine to eliminate 70mmol of H+
you would excrete 700L of urine a day
What are the 2 buffer systems
Phosphate buffer system
Ammonia buffer system
What is the phosphate buffer system
NaPO4- binds to the secreted H+ creating NaH2PO4 which is excreted in urine
What is the ammonia buffer system
making NH4- and Cl-, the amonium chloride is excreted.
How does the amonia buffer system generate bicarb
Glutamine is broken down in the cell to 2NH+4 and 2HCO3. Ammonia is actively transported into the lumen and excreted and sodium (Na+ is actively reabsorbed). Bicarb is generated
What would happen to urinary HCO 3- excretion if a drug that inhibits
carbonic anhydrase is administered?
What is the urine anion gap
(Urine sodium + urine potassium)- urine chloride
What happens if there is more chloride than cations
Negative UAG - it indicated another cation is being excreted (NR4+)
what is increase renal amonium excretion the correct response of
metabolic acidosis. Tubular function is intact
What are clinical examples of respiratory acidosis
Emphysema, hypoventilation
What are clinical examples of metabolic acidosis
Lactic acidosis, renal failure, ketoacidosis, renal tubular acidosis
What are clinical examples of respiratory alkalosis
Congestive cardiac failure, raised intracranial pressure, hyperventilation
What are examples of metabolic alkalosis
Vomiting, diuretics, Cohns syndrome
What is the equation for RNAE
RNAE = [(U NH4x V)] + (U TA x V)] – (U HCO3_ x V)
What is the Henderson-hasselbach equation
pH = pKₐ + log([A⁻]/[HA])
One way to determine the pH of a buffer is by using the Henderson–Hasselbalch equation. In this equation, [HA] and [A⁻] refer to the equilibrium concentrations of the conjugate acid–base pair used to create the buffer solution.
What is the structure of the glomerula
Learn image
What is the purpose of a nephrone
To be a sieve to form a filtrate
What allows filtrate to form
Fee started capilary
What does the glomerular filtration barrier look like (what layers form or)
Where does the filtrate form
Bowman’s space
Define focal
Affecting only some glomeruli
Define diffuse
Affecting all glomeruli
Define segmental
Affecting only part of glomeruluS
Define global
Affecting whole glomerulus
Define proliferation
Increase in number of cells
Define expansion
Increase in intercellular matrix
Define crescent
Proliferation of cells within Bowman’s space
What are the 4 immunological mechanisms underlying glomerulonephritis
Intrinsic
Planted
Circulating
Non-specific deposition
What is intrinsic immunological mechanism of GN
Antibody binding to intrinsic glomerular antigens
- eg Goodpasture’s Disease
What is planted immunological mechanism of GN
Antibody binding to “planted” glomerular antigens
- eg post-Streptococcal glomerulonephritis
What is circulating complexes immunological mechanism of GN
Deposition of circulating antigen-antibody complexes
- eg lupus nephritis
What is the non-specific deposition mechanism of GN
The heavy chain is non-specific and is ‘sticky’ binding
-eg IgA nephropathy
What is the vascular mechanism of GN
Pauci-immune” capillary inflammation (eg systemic vasculitis) - granulomatitis with polyangitis - inflammation leading to ischaemia and damage
Pauci - means poor
What are some of the indications for renal biopsy
Nephrotic syndrome (adults)
Renal dysfunction of unknown cause (particularly acute)
To guide treatment or assess prognosis where diagnosis known
Dysfunction of transplant kidney - rejection
(Haematuria)
(Proteinuria)
What are complications of renal biopsy
Pain
Bleeding - macroscopic haematuria (5%)
- blood transfusion (0.5%)
- embolisation 1 in 1000
- nephrectomy 1 in 2000
- death
What are key contraindications for renal biopsy
Abnormal clotting / thrombocytopenia
Drugs (aspirin , clopidogrel, warfarin, DOACs etc)
Uncontrolled hypertension (eg >170/100)
Single kidney
Hydronephrosis - obstruction to outflow
Urinary tract infection
What 3 ways would you use to interpret renal biopsy
Light microscope
Immunostaning
Electron microscopy
What would you see for light microscopy
Basic morphology / cellular infiltrate
What stain would you use on a renal biopsy in light microscopy
Special stains – eg silver highlights collagen
What would you be looking at/for in immunostaining
Immunoglobulin or complement components
What would you be looking at/for in electron microscopy
Ultrastructural detail, including immune deposits
What are some presentations of renal disease
Haematuria
Proteinuria
Hypertension
Nephrotic syndrome
Nephritic syndrome
Acute kidney injury
Chronic kidney disease
Diagnose and what are the features of the disease
45 year old man with frothy urine, generalised oedema Urine dipstick 4+ protein Investigations:
- Urine protein excretion 5g/24hrs
- Albumin 22
Nephrotic syndrome
Proteinuria Hypoalbuminaemia Oedema
What is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children (>75%)
minimal change disease
What would you expect to see on a light microscope biopsy of minimal change disease
Would be normal
What would you expect to see on an electron microscope biopsy of minimal change disease
fusion of podocyte foot processes (non- specific result of proteinuria)
What is the causes of MCD
IDIOPATHIC
Drugs - NSAIDS
Lymphoma
How do you treat MCD
Steroids
May relapse later and need more immunosuppression
What does FSGS stand for
Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
How does FSGS present
Presents with nephrotic sydrome ± renal impairment Patchy (focal) involvement of kidney: may miss on biopsy
What would you see on immunoflourescence
Segmental sclerotic lesions with C3 and IgM deposition
How to treat FSGS
Not as responsive to steroids than MCD. Need very high dose
May get renal failure
May need transplant
What are the primary and secondary causes of FSGS
Obesity - IV heroin use - HIV - Drugs (eg pamidronate)
What is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults
MN membranous nephropathy
What would you see on histology for MN
spikes” on basement membranes, IgG deposition
What is MN associated with
Malignancy → careful history, consider investigation Drugs (eg gold, penicillamine, captopril) - Infections (eg hepatitis, malaria)
What will occur if you don’t treat (rule of 1/3)
- 1/3 improve spontaneously - 1/3 remain the same - 1/3 develop progressive disease