What is the difference between acute renal failure and glomerulonephritis?

What is the difference between acute renal failure and glomerulonephritis?Is it just that glomerulonephritis can lead to ARF? I'm looking for details in lab values, s&s, tx, anything pertaining to nursing, or rather info I need for a nursing test.... Thanks

Posted by Dylan
ones a longer word

Posted by Screech Owl
Acute Renal Failure = ARF; Glomerulonephritis = GLN

ARF:
The classic definition in Harrison's and taught for ages:
reduction of urine output below 400 cc/d with associated chemical manifestations such as elevation in the BUN and creatine.

The latest definition as per Up To Date quoting one study criteria:
ARF was defined as a 0.5 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine if the baseline serum creatinine was ≤1.9 mg/dL, an 1.0 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine if the baseline serum creatinine was 2.0 to 4.9 mg/dL, and a 1.5 mg/dL increase in serum creatinine if the baseline serum creatinine was ≥5.0 mg/dL

Thus ARF is the reduction is kidney function leading to a reduction in filtered urine and retained "waste products"

Causes of ARF can be divided into those associated with reduced blood pressure (dehydration, hemorrhage...) renal disease (GLN, drug toxicity, chemical toxicity...) post renal disease (obstruction by stone, tumor, blood clot, narrowing of ureters).

GLN is a group of diseases characterized by damage to the filtering portion of the kidney, the glomerulus. This is often caused by auto immune disease and diagnosed by biopsy.

So, ARF is a clinic diagnosis while GLN is a pathological diagnosis.

Posted by GaryR
With respect to lab values, etc., ARF usually shows up as a severe reduction in the volume of urine production. Glomerulonephritis tends to show up as elevated protein levels in the urine, combined with WBC's and/or casts. It is an inflammatory process of the Glomeruli, or tubules where the blood is filtered and urine is produced. Both are threatening conditions that require expert treatment by a Urologist or Nephrologist. Untreated, ARF can put you in a coma in a couple days time, and comas tend to be quite spectacular S&S. Treatment... identify the cause of either condition, then maybe there's a treatment, but that would be variable depending on the cause. Massive infection? Antibiotics. Chemical poisoning? Dialysis. Disease process? Treat the underlying disease. Sometimes a few weeks of dialysis can give the kidneys enough time to heal up from whatever is assaulting them. Occasionally it's not reversible, and the patient is looking at a lifetime of dialysis. And every now and then, death is the result. No two patients go the same way. Again, each requires expert diagnosis and treatment by a Urologist or Nephrologist.

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