Chronic Kidney Failure and Dialysis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a clinical syndrome arising from progressive kidney injury, formerly known as chronic renal failure, chronic renal disease, and chronic renal insufficiency. It is classified into five stages based primarily on glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This article discusses the epidemiology of CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD), as well as etiology and genetics, pathophysiology, and pathogenesis. The section on diagnosis looks at clinical manifestations and physical findings, laboratory (and other) tests, imaging studies, and biopsy. A short section on differential diagnosis is followed by a discussion of treatment, including hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Long-term complications of patients on dialysis include cardiovascular disease, renal osteodystrophy, dialysis-related amyloidosis, and acquired cystic disease (renal cell carcinoma). The final section addresses prognosis and socioeconomic burden. Figures include the classification system for CKD, prevalence of CKD in the United States, rising prevalence, risk of, and leading causes of ESRD in the United States, plus the changing prevalence of ESRD over time, clinical manifestations of uremia, and an overview of hemodialysis circuit. Tables look at the burden of CKD relative to other chronic disorders, the specific hereditary causes of kidney disease, and situations when serum creatinine does not accurately predict GFR. Other tables list equations for estimating GFR, the causes of CKD without shrunken kidneys, and clinical features distinguishing chronic kidney disease from acute kidney injury. ESRD and indications for initiation of dialysis are presented, as well as typical composition of dialysate and reasons for failure of peritoneal dialysis. This chapter contains 8 figures, 17 tables and 77 references Keywords: Renal disease, chronic kidney disease, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, end-stage renal disease, glomerular filtration rate, mineral bone disease