What is minimal change disease (MCD)? Minimal change disease is one of the 7 types of chronic glomerulonephritis (GN). They are all ‘autoimmune diseases’, where the immune (defence) system attacks normal tissue in the kidney (including the glomerulus). Why and how they occur is unclear. MCD is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in […]
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What is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS)? Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is one of the 7 types of chronic glomerulonephritis (GN). They are all ‘autoimmune diseases’ where the immune (defence) system attacks normal tissue in the kidney (including the glomerulus). Why and how they occur is unclear. FSGS affects both children and adults. The phrase ‘sclerosis’
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What is a normal creatinine level? 60-120 mcmol/L (micromoles per litre).It is used to assess kidney function – the higher the number, the worse the function. But we need to discuss some background first. What is creatinine? Creatinine (derived from Ancient Greek κρέας (kréas) meaning ‘flesh’) is a waste product that comes from the normal
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What is PTH (parathyroid hormone)? Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a hormone (chemical) that your parathyroid glands make and release to control the level of calcium in your blood. Calcium is one of the most important and common minerals in your body. PTH also helps control the levels of phosphate (another mineral) and vitamin D (a
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Acute kidney injury vs chronic kidney disease – what’s the difference? Even though both are kidney diseases, they are quite different in terms of causes, symptoms and treatment. This is why it is important to do two things: (1) distinguish the two, and (2) identify the underlying cause based on medical assessment, urine and blood
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What is renal vasculitis? Renal vasculitis is a group of rare autoimmune diseases that involve inflammation of the blood vessels (that is what vasculitis means) in the kidneys. These conditions are characterised by the body’s immune system mistakenly attacking the blood vessels in the kidneys, leading to inflammation and damage to the renal tissue. Types
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What is lupus nephritis? Lupus nephritis is a kidney disorder that occurs as a complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), commonly referred to as ‘lupus’. SLE is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues and organs in the body. It can affect most organs including the skin (as rashes), joints,
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5 top tips to manage CKD Keep track of your kidney data with PKB Key Points Make sure CKD is detected early and a clear cause is identified Keep your blood pressure normal or low Treat your other medical conditions Avoid illnesses that cause AKI Keep your weight down. CKD is usually not a curable
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What’s the difference between nephrologists and urologists? Both are hospital based doctors who are experts on kidney disease. There is some overlap in their work. But there are quite a few differences as well. Nephrologists Nephrologists are not surgeons and don’t do operations. They experts in the medical (i.e. non surgical) treatment of kidney diseases,
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How much does dialysis cost in the UK? A lot. About £20,000 per person per year. Dialysis is a high-cost treatment, with the NHS spending over £600 million per year (£20,000 x 30,000 patients) on dialysis in the UK (over 0.25% of the NHS budget on a rare disease). With the growth in CKD and
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