Do you have a swollen leg? It could signal an acute kidney injury

Did you know that swollen up legs and other seemingly innocuous symptoms like fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat can indicate an acute kidney injury? Here is everything you need to know about this renal health condition.

Ajay Pal Singh | Updated: March 6, 2019 6:11 pm

Blood pressure medications can impair the blood flow to your kidney. ©Shutterstock

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is associated with high mortality rate across the globe. The epidemiology of this health condition can be determined with varying climate, culture, ethnicity, socioeconomic and development status which is why it differs from nation to nation and varies from centre to centre within the same country. According to a 2018 study published in the Saudi Journal of Kidney Disease and Transplantation, in countries with low-income and middle-income, characteristics of patients suffering from AKI who are treated in tertiary care hospitals in large cities are same as the characteristics of patients in high-income countries; most of them were elderly, critically ill with multiorgan failure and were also having chronic comorbidities. Additionally, sepsis, ischemia and nephrotoxic drugs were identified as the main causes of AKI.

Another study published in the same year in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research mentioned that an observational study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital for a span of six months (August 2015 to February 2016) which revealed that in India, the prevalence of AKI was 17.3 cases per 1000 individuals. The study also noted that in case of sepsis, the occurrence of AKI in ICU was more than 40 per cent and the mortality rates ranged from 15-60 per cent.

WHAT IS AN AKI?
When your kidney suddenly loses the ability to filter waste products such as excess salts, fluids from your blood, it leads to acute kidney injury. AKI then impairs the balance of fluid in your body by causing a build-up of waste products in your blood which makes it hard for your kidneys to function. Elderly people, patients admitted in a hospital or those who are in intensive care units are more at risk of developing this health condition.

WHAT CAUSES AKI?
AKI is mostly caused by three major conditions: Reduced blood flow to your kidneys, direct damage to the kidneys or urine blockage in the kidney.

Reduced blood flow to the kidney: Certain diseases and conditions which can slow down the blood flow to your kidneys can lead to AKI. Heart attack, blood pressure medications, loss of blood or fluid, heart failure, liver failure, a major surgery, dehydration, a severe burn or an acute allergic reaction can impair the blood flow to your kidneys.

Direct kidney damage: A deadly infection called sepsis, NSAID drugs like ibuprofen, certain antibiotics, chemotherapy, cholesterol deposit, an immunity disorder known as lupus, multiple myeloma (a type of cancer) and inflammation in the kidney filters can cause direct injury to your kidney.

Urine blockage in the kidney: Your urine may clogged inside your kidney owing to bladder or cervical cancer, kidney stones, blood clots in the urinary tract, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and nerve damage in your bladder.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AKI
The signs and symptoms can vary based on the cause of your AKI. Shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, irregular heartbeat, swelling in legs, ankles and around the eyes, and in some chronic cases, seizure or coma can be an indicator of acute kidney injury.

HOW TO DIAGNOSE AKI?
If you experience any of these symptoms and signs, your doctor might recommend few tests to verify your condition. These diagnostic procedure may include urine tests, blood tests, imaging tests, kidney biopsy and measuring your urine output. Notably, the kidney biopsy test is done in rare cases where your doctor takes a tiny sample of your kidney to assess your condition.

TREATMENT FOR AKI
The treatment of this health condition requires a hospital stay and the duration of your stay will depend on the cause and your kidney’s ability to recover. Also, in severe cases, dialysis may be required to pump blood out of your blood until your kidney recovers.

Published: March 6, 2019 5:52 pm | Updated:March 6, 2019 6:11 pm

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