Can chronic renal failure be cured by dialysis?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 10, 2024
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Patients with chronic renal failure can undergo dialysis treatment to sustain life and improve quality of life. However, dialysis merely uses artificial means to excrete accumulated metabolic wastes and fluids in the body, regulate the internal environment, and simply substitutes for the function of the kidneys. Dialysis has no therapeutic value for renal failure itself. Therefore, patients with chronic renal failure should not expect dialysis to restore kidney function. Nonetheless, as a renal replacement therapy, dialysis can provide patients with a relatively good lifespan and quality of life. Dialysis treatment is necessary for patients with uremia.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is stage five chronic kidney failure serious?

Strictly speaking, there is no condition called "chronic renal failure stage five," but there is a term "chronic kidney disease stage five." Chronic kidney disease is divided into five stages based on the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Stage five chronic kidney disease indicates that the patient's GFR is less than 15 milliliters per minute, which is about 15% of normal kidney function and is essentially equivalent to uremia. Therefore, chronic renal failure or chronic kidney disease stage five is very dangerous and can cause many complications. Moreover, this type of kidney failure is irreversible and incurable, and the patient may need to undergo dialysis or a kidney transplant.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Chronic Kidney Failure Various Indicators

In patients with chronic kidney failure, the primary indicator to observe is obviously kidney function. It is essential to regularly monitor the patient's blood creatinine and urea nitrogen levels, which are generally required to be tested every 1 to 3 months when chronic kidney failure is stable. Additionally, urine output should be monitored. If there is a decrease in urine output and swelling occurs, it may indicate that the patient's kidney function is continuously deteriorating. A complete blood count should also be checked to observe changes in the patient's anemia status. Chronic kidney failure often causes hypertension, so blood pressure monitoring is also necessary for these patients. Electrolyte monitoring is important as kidney failure can lead to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism and subsequent secondary hyperparathyroidism. Therefore, the levels of calcium, phosphorus, and parathyroid hormone also need to be tested.

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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Causes of Anemia in Chronic Renal Failure

The causes of anemia in chronic renal failure, also known as renal anemia, occur in chronic kidney disease and are related to chronic renal failure. There are multiple reasons for this anemia, such as the lack of raw materials for red blood cell production caused by chronic renal failure, including deficiencies in iron, folic acid, and vitamin B1, shortened lifespan of red blood cells, and blood loss including non-gastrointestinal blood loss. Moreover, uremic toxins including parathyroid hormone can suppress the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. However, the primary cause is the decreased production of erythropoietin by the kidneys during chronic renal failure.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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What are the symptoms of chronic kidney failure?

Chronic kidney failure generally may have some clinical symptoms, but many patients do not have any discomfort. Some common clinical symptoms mainly include increased urine foam and decreased urine output. Due to the decline in renal function for urine excretion, it can lead to edema, particularly in areas such as both ankles and the face. In the state of renal failure, patients may also experience hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. Due to metabolic acidosis, patients might exhibit deep and labored breathing. In the advanced stages of kidney failure, patients may suffer from renal anemia, leading to fatigue and potentially experiencing bone pain and susceptibility to fractures due to renal osteodystrophy.

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Written by Wu Ji
Nephrology
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Symptoms of Chronic Kidney Failure

The clinical symptoms of chronic renal failure mainly include symptoms related to disturbances in electrolyte and acid-base balance, as well as symptoms of metabolic disorders of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and vitamins. There are also manifestations in various organ systems, including the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, hematologic system, neuromuscular system, endocrine system, and bone lesions. Metabolic acidosis is common; patients may also exhibit water and sodium retention or hypovolemia and hyponatremia. Potassium metabolism disorders are often characterized by hyperkalemia, while disturbances in phosphorus and calcium metabolism are mainly manifested as hyperphosphatemia and calcium deficiency. Patients may also show cardiovascular manifestations, primarily hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, heart failure, and uremic cardiomyopathy. Gastrointestinal symptoms in patients may include loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. Additionally, renal anemia and a tendency to bleed are common, and skeletal changes are quite frequent, leading to malnutrition of bones, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis.