The short answer A lupus nephritis flare means that kidney inflammation related to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has become more active. A flare may cause more protein in the urine, blood in the urine, rising creatinine, falling kidney function, or new/worsening high blood pressure. However, no single symptom or blood test can reliably prove that … Read more
The short answer Cardiorenal syndrome (CRS) describes a group of conditions in which problems with the heart and kidneys affect each other. Heart failure can worsen kidney function, while chronic kidney disease (CKD) can increase the strain on the heart and make heart failure more difficult to manage. This is not simply a matter of … Read more
The short answer Gout and kidney disease are closely connected, but the relationship goes in both directions. Your kidneys normally remove much of the body’s excess uric acid, a waste product formed when the body breaks down purines. When kidney function is reduced, uric acid may accumulate in the blood. High uric acid can contribute … Read more
The short answer Flank pain is common in polycystic kidney disease (PKD), especially autosomal dominant PKD (ADPKD), but the pain is not always caused simply by “large cysts.” Pain can come from cyst growth and pressure, but sudden or severe pain may also result from cyst bleeding, cyst infection, kidney stones, urinary infection, or another … Read more
The short answer IgA nephropathy (IgAN), also called Berger’s disease, is a kidney disease in which IgA-containing immune deposits build up in the glomeruli—the tiny filters that clean your blood. This can cause inflammation and allow blood and protein to leak into the urine. (NIDDK) The disease varies considerably from person to person. Some people … Read more
The short answer Renal artery stenosis can cause high blood pressure, but not every person with renal artery narrowing has renovascular hypertension. Renal artery stenosis means that one or both arteries supplying the kidneys have become narrowed. When the narrowing significantly reduces blood flow, the affected kidney may interpret the reduced pressure as if the … Read more
The short answer Diabetic kidney disease usually develops gradually, but there is no single timeline that applies to everyone. Persistent high blood glucose can contribute to changes in the kidney’s tiny filtering units, called glomeruli, along with changes in the kidney’s blood vessels and supporting tissues. One important correction to the idea of a simple … Read more