Diabetes Head to Toe by Rita R. Kalyani

Author:Rita R. Kalyani
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Published: 2018-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

7.16 Multiple changes can occur in the kidney with diabetic kidney disease, including scarring inside the kidney, changes to the surface of the kidney, reduced kidney size, and fat accumulation. These changes can result in decreased kidney function. © 2018, Johns Hopkins University, Art as Applied to Medicine

• The blood test for kidney function is the serum creatinine level. It is used along with age, sex, and race to calculate the GFR, which is a measure of how well the kidneys filter waste from the blood.

• As kidney disease progresses, the GFR declines. The results of the creatinine test are usually the opposite of the GFR. That is, when creatinine results are high, GFR results are low and vice versa.

• Your provider will also request a urine sample to test your urine albumin to creatinine ratio (see “Testing for Albuminuria” on page 156).

• Certain imaging tests—such as an ultrasound or CT scans—are used to detect blockages in the flow of urine in the kidney or bladder, blood flow problems to the kidney, or visible damage to these organs. If you have kidney disease and need an imaging test, your provider will likely advise you to have only CT scans without contrast or MRI without the contrast agent known as gadolinium. This will help prevent further kidney injury.

• Blood tests can also detect other problems that occur when kidney function declines, such as anemia (see “Anemia” on page 191) or high acid levels in the blood.

While most people with the earlier stages of kidney disease have no symptoms, the signs and symptoms of more severe kidney disease include frothy urine (like the bubbles in a soda), leg swelling, difficult-to-control high blood pressure, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and nausea.

Interpreting the Results

Your medical care provider will rely on these test results to track how your kidneys are working and intervene if you show signs of kidney disease. Certain factors can influence these results, however, so any abnormal tests should be repeated. Depending on the severity of your kidney disease, your provider may refer you to a nephrologist for further care.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Kidney health is important to keep the overall body healthy. Kidney disease is common in people with diabetes. Blood and urine tests are available that can detect kidney disease and help guide treatments to improve or preserve kidney function. Regular testing of your kidneys can help detect kidney disease at its earliest stages.

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