What is contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN)? Key Points Most patients recover from use of radiocontrast (a dye given during some x-rays, like CTs and angiograms) without complications All radiocontrast dyes are nephrotoxic (toxic to the kidneys) Suspect contrast nephropathy if blood creatinine increases 24-48 hours after a contrast study Decrease the risk of contrast nephropathy, particularly […]
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What is reflux nephropathy? Reflux nephropathy (RN), is also known as vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) or just ‘reflux’. Reflux nephropathy was previously called chronic pyelonephritis But what is it? Reflux is either a congenital (i.e. you are born with it): or acquired condition – where urine flows backward from the bladder into the kidneys, potentially causing
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Fabry disease – an overview Fabry disease, also known as Anderson–Fabry disease and GLA deficiency, is a rare genetic disease that can affect many parts of the body, including the kidneys, heart, brain, and skin. Fabry disease is one of a group of conditions known as lysosomal storage diseases. Fabry disease affects approximately 1 in
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What is HIVAN (HIV-associated nephropathy)? History AIDS was first reported in 1981.The first reported cases of HIV-associated nephropathy (HIVAN) were described in 1984. Thus it was described early in the HIV epidemic in the USA, especially in urban centers serving large numbers of HIV-positive people of African descent. In the early 1990’s, HIVAN was the
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What is fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD)? Fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) is a rare medical condition. It is a non-atherosclerotic, non-inflammatory vascular disease leading to arterial stenosis (blockage), aneurysm (abnormal bulges) and dissection (splitting) of small- to medium-sized arteries. The most frequently affected arteries are renal (75- 80%) and cervical arteries (75%); but FMD has also been reported
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What are kidney cysts? Kidney cysts are round pouches of fluid that form on or in the kidneys. Most often, kidney cysts are a type called simple kidney cysts. Simple kidney cysts aren’t cancer and rarely cause problems. It is not clear what causes simple kidney cysts. And its normal to have 3 or more
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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 are the most common causes of sepsis? In this article we will describe what are the most common causes of sepsis. A bit of background first. What is sepsis? Sepsis is a rare but serious complication of an infection. It is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency
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CKD and pregnancy If you have CKD (and you may not know it), pregnancy can worsen kidney function – and that decreased kidney function may interfere with the pregnancy. A woman with mild-to-moderate CKD who is considering becoming pregnant should discuss the possible risks with her nephrologist and obstetrician before trying to conceive. Patients with
Haematuria (blood in the urine) Haematuria means blood in the urine. If it is ‘microscopic’, this means something is so small that it can only be seen through a microscope. So, if you have microscopic haematuria, you have red blood cells in your urine that cannot be seen with the naked eye. In microscopic haematuria
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