Renal and Urology Flashcards
Name some hormones that act on the kidney
- Vasopressin from posterior pituitary - water resorption
- Aldosterone from adrenal cortex - Na+ resorption
- Natriuretic peptide - Na+ excretion
- Parathyroid hormone - phosphate excretion, calcium resorption
Name some hormones produced by the kidneys
- Renin (juxtaglomerular apparatus) - forms angiotensin II
- Na+ retention and vasoconstriction
- Vitamin D (metabolised by kidney into 1,25-DH cholecalciferol
- Ca2+ and phosphate absorption from gut
- Erythropoeitin
- Red blood cell formation in bone marrow
- Prostaglandin
- Renal tone control
How is GFR regulated?
- Myogenic - inc in BP stretches receptors in smooth muscle of vessels = vasoconstriction = inc resistance to flow = dec renal blood flow
- Tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism - macula densa detects inc in NaCl (osmolarity) or inc flow rate
- JGA signals via ATII or prostaglandins to vascoconstrict
- Dec renal plasma flow = dec GFR = inc NaCl resorption = dec NaCl concentration at macula densa
Describe the RAAS system
- Dec ECF volume/dec BP detected by baroreceptors in arch of Aorta or carotid sinus
- Inc sympathetic activity to JGA = renin release
- Conversion of angiotensinogen to angiotensin I to angiotensin II via ACE
- ATII simulates glomerulosa to release aldosterone
- Vasoconstricts
- Increases Na+ resorption from PCT
- Releases ADH - inc water retention - inc BP
How are UTIs classified?
- Uncomplication
- Complicated
- Men
- Abnormal renal tract/catheter/stent/
- Impaired renal function
- Immunosuppression/diabetes
- Pregnancy
- Elderly
- Recurrent (further infections with new organism)
- Relapse (further infections with same organism)
Name some risk factors for developing a UTI
- Female
- Sexual intercourse
- Diabetes
- Immunnosuppression
- Pregnancy
- Menopause
- Urinary tract obstruction
- Renal stones
- Instrumentation
- Diaphragm contraceptive
Name some common UTI organisms
- E coli
- Staph saprophyticus
- Enterococcus faecalis
- Klebsiella
- Enterobacter
- Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Describe the clinical features of UTI
- Fever
- Abdominal/loin/suprapubic tenderness
- Frequency
- Dysuria
- Urgency
- Haematuria
- Polyuria
- Cloudy urine
How is a UTI diagnosed?
- Urine dip - proteinuria, leucocytes, nitrites, RBCs
- MSU - M, C & S - if complicated, child or ill patient
- Growth of >108 colony-forming units
- Bloods if systemically unwell - FBC, U&E, CRP, blood cultures
- Consider US/cystoscopy if child, men, recurrent, pyelonephritis
How is a UTI treated?
- Advice - drink plenty, urinate often, post-intercourse voiding, wipe front to back
- Antibiotics
- Nitrofurantoin if GFR>45 100mg/BD
- Uncomplicated 3 days
- Complicated 7 days
- Trimethoprim if allergic to nitro
- Change to sensitive when MSU results come back
- Nitrofurantoin if GFR>45 100mg/BD
Name some causes of acute kidney injury
- Pre-renal - reduced circulating volume
- Hypovolaemia (haemorrhage, dehydration etc)
- Cardiac failure
- Liver failure
- Shock
- Renal artery stenosis/emboli
- Intrinsic/renal
- Acute tubular necrosis (ischaemia, drugs/toxins)
- Drugs = gentamicin, NSAIDS, methotrexate, ACE-i, aminoglycosides
- Toxins = myoglobin, sepsis, rhabdomyloysis
- Glomerular disease (glomerular nephritis)
- Post-renal = obstruction
- Bladder outflow obstruction (BPH, strictures)
- Tumour (prostate, bladder, gynae)
- Stone (bilateral)
- Retroperitoneal fibrosis
How is AKI investigated?
- Low urine output ≈ <400ml/d
- Urine dip - leucocytes, nitrites, blood, protein, glucose, ketones
- Urine culture - M, C & S
- Bloods - U&E (high urea, K+), high creatinine, osmolarity, FBC, LFT, clotting, CK, CRP
- ABG (met acidosis)
- Blood culture
- If cause unclear consider - serum immunoglobulins, C3/C4, autoantibodies (ANA, ANCA, anti-ds DNA)
- CXR - pulmonary oedema
- ECG - hyperkalaemia?
- Renal US
How can urine test results be used to distinguish pre-renal and renal causes of AKI?

How is AKI managed?
- If bladder palpable - insert catheter
- Stop nephrotoxic drugs
- Treat underlying cause
- Shock - fluids
- Post-renal = catheter/nephrostomy
- Dialysis if severe hyperkalaemia/metabolic acidosis, uraemic encephalopathy, pericarditis
Name some complications of AKI
- Hyperkalaemia
- Pulmonary oedema
- Bleeding
- Impaired haemostasis
- Uraemic encephalopathy
- Uraemic pericarditis
How is chronic kidney disease defined?
Progressive and irrervisble loss of renal function over years
- 1 = GFR >90
- 2 = GFR 60-89
- 3 = GFR 30-59
- 4 = GFR 15-29
- End-stage = GFR < 15
Name some causes of CKD
- Intrinsic
- Glomerulonephritis/pyelonephritis
- Polycystc kidneys
- Bladder/urethral obstruction (BPH
- Amyloidosis
- Systemic
- Diabetes
- Hypertension
- Gout
- Heart failure
- SLE
- Renovascular
- Drugs (gold, ciclosporin, analgesics)
Describe the clinical features of CKD
- Yellow skin pigmentation
- Brown nails
- Purpura
- Bruising
- Hypertension
- General - fatigue, weakness
- Pulmonary oedema/dyspnoea
- Cardiomegaly
- Ankle swelling/peripheral oedema
How is CKD diagnosed?
- Bloods - eGFR, normochromic, normocytic anaemia, U&E (high urea, creatinine) low calcium, high phosphate, high ALP, high PTH, high urate, CRP, glucose
- Urine
- Urinanalysis - blood, protein
- Microscopy - WCC< granular casts, red cell casts
- Imaging
- Renal ultrasound - obstruction, PCKD
- CXR - pulmonary oedema, cardiomegaly
- Biopsy
How is CKD treated?
- BP control (<130/80)
- ACE-i with careful monitoring
- Treat hyperlipidaemia with statins
- Decrease risk of renovascular disease
- Treat oedema with furosemide and metolazone
- Treat anaemia
- Consider erythropoeitin
- Treat renal osteodystrophy (bone disease) with vit D analogues (alfacalcidol) and calcium supplements
- Diet - protein restriction, Na+ and K+ restriction may be necessary
- Dialysis
- Peritoneal - insert Tenchkoff catheter
- Haemo - AV fistula
- Transplant
Name some complications of CKD
- Fluid retention - oedema
- Hypertension
- CVS risk
- Osteodystrophy (dec activated vit D = dec Ca2+ = PTH activation = bone resorption
- Anaemia (dec erythropoeitin)
- Electrolyte disturbance
- Acidosis
- Uraemia - anorexia, nausea, vomiting, pruritis
Name some common nephrotoxic drugs
- NSAIDS
- Incl. COX-2 inhibitors
- Diuretics, ACE-i, ARB
- Antibiotics - aminoglycosides, vancomycin
- Immunosuppressants - ciclosporin, tacrolimus
- Chemo - cisplatin
- IV contrast
What is Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN)?
A cause of AKI due to the death of tubular epithelial cells that form the renal tubules.
It is classified into toxic or ischaemic
What causes ATN?






