Renal Disease: Measuring Renal Function - Essay Example

Renal failure is of three types – Acute Renal failure, Chronic Renal failure and End-Stage Renal failure. Various tests are carried out once the disease is detected which include – Blood tests, urine tests, ultrasonogram and biopsy. Blood is checked for creatinine and blood urea nitrogen. The normal range for creatinine is 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dl and that of blood urea is 7 to 20 milligrams per decilitre of blood. If it exceeds, then the kidney is not functioning properly.


Tests:-Urine test:
The test carried out will also show the level of protein in the blood-(Proteinuria) A reference range that is both cost-effective and quick can also be used to check protein levels in the urine. The normal renal protein excretion is less than 150mg/24 hours. The glomeruli normally filter around 75 to 10 mg/24 hours.
Albumin Test:
Albumin is too thick to pass through the glomerulus and may cause damage. Therefore this test would show the damage if any. Normally the albumin that passes through is around 25-300 mg/ 24 hours. Dipstick tests detect albumin levels and if the level of urine proteinuria is above 2gms/24 hours, it results in glomerulus disease.

GFR:
The rate at which the Glomerulus filters the substances is what we call, the GFR and the RC of a substance is the amount of blood cleared by the kidney per minute, {ml/min} RC= UV/ P
The maximum rate at which a substance can be cleared from the plasma is the GFR of that substance. Substances that are freely filtered by the glomerulus and are not secreted or absorbed can be used. Creatinine which is a by-product of metabolism and is present in the blood can be checked by testing the concentration of creatinine and plasma within the 24 hour period.
Results of GFR = UxV
P
If the GFR of a patient is between 50 – 60ml/min, then no symptoms are seen.
If the GFR of a patient is between 15 – 20ml/min, then renal damage is detected.
For Example:
24hours urine collection – 1440ml/24 hrs. Blood samples and urinary concentrations of creatinine are taken halfway through.
Therefore 1440/24x 60= 1440/ 1440 = 1 ml/ min = V
(Clearance is lower in children, the elderly and in women.)
12mmol/1x1ml/min
0.1mmol/1

= 120ml/ min =Normal GFR


Kidney Dialysis:
In acute cases of kidney failure, a dialysis machine is used on the patient because the kidneys of the patient are not capable of clearing the blood of harmful substances including toxins. This machine consists of tubes that are inserted into major veins to filter or purify his blood.
In a patient is suffering from renal disease, his GFR can go down to about 50- 60 ml/min and still no symptoms are shown. But, if the GFR goes as low as 15 – 20ml/ per minute then dialysis is definitely required. Read More