Symptoms of advanced kidney disease
What are the common symptoms and signs that are seen in patients with advanced kidney disease?
Chronic kidney disease is usually characterized by nonspecific signs and symptoms in the earlier stages and can be detected only by an increase in serum creatinine.
Symptoms
• Loss or decreased appetite (protein aversion)
• Easy fatigability
• Generalized weakness
• Involuntary weight loss (resulting from cachexia) or gain (resulting from fluid retention)
• Alterations in mentation (e.g., lethargy, coma, difficulty concentrating)
• Nausea and vomiting; dyspepsia
• Metallic taste
• Generalized itching or pruritus
• Seizures
• Difficulty breathing
• Edema
• Intractable hiccups
• Frothy” appearance of urine (usually results from proteinuria)
• Decreased sexual interest (e.g., erectile dysfunction)
• Restless legs
Signs
• Elevated blood pressure (BP)
• Pallor (from anemia)
• Volume overload (jugular venous distention, peripheral edema, pulmonary edema, anasarca)
• Friction rub (pericarditis)
• Asterixis and myoclonus (uremic encephalopathy)
