2. Definition of ARF
• Acute renal failure (ARF) is defined
conceptually as a rapid (over hours to weeks)
and usually reversible decline in GFR that may
occur either in the setting of preexisting
normal renal function (“classic” ARF) or with
preexisting renal disease (“acute on chronic”
renal failure)
• However, a uniform and precise operational
definition of ARF still is not available
June-2015-CSBRP
6. Acute Tubular Necrosis (ATN)
ATN – Severe/prolonged ischemia with injury to parenchyma
which does not resolve immediately with restoration of renal
perfusion
• Describes the renal parenchymal injury following
renal ischemia
OR
• Exposure to nephrotoxins, which particularly injure
the tubular epithelium
June-2015-CSBRP
44. TTP, HUS, and the other varieties of TMA have a number
of symptoms in common. These are listed below:
SYMPTOM REASON SYMPTOM OCCURS
Fatigue, Dizziness, Shortness of breath Low red blood cell count
Bruises, Gum/nose bleeds, Minor cuts
bleed a lot
Low platelet count
Confusion, Sleepiness, Seizures Damage to blood vessels in the brain
Decreased urine, Swollen legs, High blood
pressure
Damage to blood vessels in the kidney
Fever (more common with TTP)
June-2015-CSBRP
45. TTP and HUS have different
treatments
• To prevent death and serious organ damage TTP requires
immediate treatment with plasma exchange (PLEX)
• In contrast, HUS usually improves on its own require
hospitalization for fluids and monitoring.
– If kidney function declines too much, dialysis may be necessary
– As the causative bacterial infection resolves, toxin leaves the body and
symptoms of HUS begin to improve
• In many of the more atypical TTP/HUS disease patterns the
optimal treatment has not yet been standardized
• These are often treated (like TTP) with plasma exchange
June-2015-CSBRP
47. Causes of ARFCauses of ARF
Pre-Renal Renal Post-Renal
Absolute
hypovolemia
GLOMERULAR
RPGN
Pelvi-calyceal
obstruction
Relative hypovolemia
TUBULAR
ATN
Ureteric obstruction
Cardiac Out put
INTERSTITIAL
AIN
VUJ bladder
obstruction
Renovascular
occlusion
VASCULAR
EMBOLI
Bladder neck –
urethra obstruction
June-2015-CSBRP
Editor's Notes
Some of the more common nephrotoxins associated with acute tubular necrosis are listed on this slide.
Relative hypoxia in the outer medulla predisposes to ischemic injury in the S3 segment of the proximal tubule. The thick ascending limb is also located in this hypoxic region of the kidney and, depending on tubular reabsorptive demand, may also undergo ischemic injury. The thick ascending limb may, however, be more protected against ischemic injury, because this nephron segment possesses more glycolytic machinery for ATP synthesis than the S3 segment.
Vascular factors contributing to the pathogenesis of ischemic ARF. ET, endothelin; PG, prostaglandin. Figure modified with permission from the Journal of Nephrology (15).
Usual production of endothelin is low, but increases in injury while NO is lowered in injury
Acute tubular necrosis showing focal loss of tubular epithelial cells (arrows) and partial occlusion of tubular lumens by cellular debris (D) (H&E stain).
The histologic findings in ischemic acute tubular necrosis may be disproportionately small in comparison to the magnitude of renal dysfunction. Focal necrosis of single proximal tubular cells and clusters of cells is seen in the majority of cases of ATN. Portions of tubules not involved by necrosis commonly show effacement of the proximal tubule brush border. Other pathologic findings include flattening of the tubular epithelium and dilatation of the tubular lumina. Many of the flattened tubular cells exhibit signs of regeneration – i.e., mitoses and large hyperchromatic nuclei. Regenerative changes and foci of necrosis are often seen in the same biopsy specimen. Distal nephron segments are characteristically occluded by urinary casts of hyaline, granular, and pigmented varieties.
Tubular epithelial degeneration and hyaline amphophilic casts (positive with immunologic stains for myoglobin) in a patient with rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuric acute tubular necrosis.
Leather texture of the surface.
Normal kidney: 10x5cms (lengthxwidth)
PSC = Primary sclerosing cholangiitis.
Features: Fragmented RBCs, nRBCs, Polychromatic cells and Thrombocytopenia.
TTP mainly genetically mediated or immunological mediated – effect is low clipping of ADAMTS13 there by reducing the enzyme activity.
Pathogenesis of idiopathic TTP caused by ADAMTS13 deficiency. Multimeric VWF adheres to endothelial cells or to connective tissue exposed in the vessel wall. Platelets adhere to VWF through platelet membrane GPIb. In flowing blood, VWF in the platelet-rich thrombus is stretched and cleaved by ADAMTS13, limiting thrombus growth. If ADAMTS13 is absent, VWF-dependent platelet accumulation continues, eventually causing microvascular thrombosis and TTP.
TTP was once fatal in 90% of individuals who developed the disease. Now that plasma exchange is available, survival can be as high as 80%. In many cases the blood vessel damage in the kidneys and brain will reverse with time.
HUS has a good prognosis. During the active phase of the disease kidney failure can often be severe enough to require manual blood cleaning with dialysis. Fortunately this is usually temporary. In fact kidney function almost always returns to the normal range within a few months
TTP and HUS have different treatments. To prevent death and serious organ damage TTP requires immediate treatment with plasma exchange (PLEX) – see Figure. This process allows the abnormal glue (vWF) that causes TTP to be exchanged for normal vWF. Treatments usually last a few hours each and continue every 1-2 days for about 2 weeks. For those with repeated episodes of TTP, a medication called rituximab is being tested to see if its use can prevent recurrences of the disease.
In contrast, HUS usually improves on its own. Patients will require hospitalization for fluids and monitoring while the disease is worsening. If kidney function declines too much, manual blood cleaning with dialysis may be necessary. As the causative bacterial infection resolves, toxin leaves the body and symptoms of HUS begin to improve.
In many of the more atypical TTP/HUS disease patterns the optimal treatment has not yet been standardized. These are often treated (like TTP) with plasma exchange, but there is currently some debate about this.