The kidney function has the key significance for normal bodywork. If kidney damage takes place due to a variety of reasons, the body is subjected to the risk of intoxication. The following paper will discuss the pathophysiological response to pyelonephritis along with the three types of conditions that may damage kidney function.
The pathophysiological response of the body to pyelonephritis includes “eukaryotic cell signaling”, inflammatory response, formation of abscesses in the kidney tissue, and release of chemokines (Choong, Antypas, & Richter-Dahlfors, 2015, p. 9). Ms. Cornwell has bacteria and white blood cell casts in her urine due to the kidney malfunction resulting from pyelonephritis. According to Choong et al. (2015), “pyelonephritis represents a subset of urinary tract infections that occur from bacteria ascending from the lower to the upper reaches of the genitourinary system” (p. 1). Pyelonephritis disrupts normal kidney function. The outcome is the presence of foreign agents in the urine including bacteria and white blood cell casts (Eliakim-Raz, Yahav, Paul, & Leibovici, 2013). White blood cell casts presence in the urine also suggests that there is an inflammatory process in the kidneys and the immune system is acting to neutralize the infection (Schneeberger, Holleman, & Geerlings, 2016). White blood cell casts also indicate that the pathologic process is located in the kidney itself and not in the urinary tract. Therefore, a conclusion can be made that it is intrarenal acute renal failure.
When comparing prerenal acute renal failure, intrarenal acute renal failure, and, postrenal acute renal failure, the differences are in the kidney damage degree and type, the causative agent, and the changes in kidney function (Choong et al., 2015). In prerenal acute renal failure, the kidney itself is not damaged but it cannot function because the blood flow is damaged. As a result, the blood does not enter the kidney. The kidney function is lost then. For example, this condition can be caused by an injury or any disease that disrupts the blood flow into the kidney (Choong et al., 2015).
In intrarenal acute renal failure, direct damage of the kidney takes place (Choong et al., 2015). The kidney function is therefore lost due to kidney damage. The cause of this condition can be injury, intoxication, and infection. For instance, sometimes it can be caused by intoxication when the body is exposed to toxic chemicals (Choong et al., 2015).
In postrenal acute renal failure, obstruction of the urinary tract takes place due to a variety of reasons. The outcome is kidney failure due to the inability to process urine effectively (Choong et al., 2015). The urine begins to build up in the kidneys thus. This condition can take place due to kidney stones, enlarged prostate gland in male patients, bladder disorders, blood clots, or some type of cancer such as the bladder or colon cancer (Choong et al., 2015).
In conclusion, kidney function can be damaged due to the three major groups of disorders. These disorders include prerenal acute renal failure, intrarenal acute renal failure, and, postrenal acute renal failure. All these conditions result in a significant reduction of kidney function or total kidney failure. Pyelonephritis is one of the most common kidney disorders that may lead to a partial or full loss of kidney function. The pathophysiological response to pyelonephritis includes inflammation, the release of chemokines, and the formation of abscesses in the kidney tissue.
References
Choong, F. X., Antypas, H., & Richter-Dahlfors, A. (2015). Integrated pathophysiology of pyelonephritis. Microbiology spectrum, 3(5), 1-15.
Eliakim-Raz, N., Yahav, D., Paul, M., & Leibovici, L. (2013). Duration of antibiotic treatment for acute pyelonephritis and septic urinary tract infection—7 days or less versus longer treatment: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.
Schneeberger, C., Holleman, F., & Geerlings, S. E. (2016). Febrile urinary tract infections: Pyelonephritis and urosepsis. Current opinion in infectious diseases, 29(1), 80-85.