Cold is a common viral infection, and people with normal resistance can heal themselves within a week or so. But for some people, severe heart disease or lung infections can also occur. In particular, patients with kidney disease should pay special attention to preventing colds, as colds can induce and exacerbate kidney disease. The following is an introduction to the harm of colds to various kidney diseases:
Pathogenic factors of acute nephritis
Acute nephritis can be caused by post streptococcal or non streptococcal infections. Acute nephritis after streptococcal infection often occurs in winter and spring, often occurring 1 to 3 weeks after catching a cold, that is, upper respiratory tract infection. Non streptococcal post infection glomerulonephritis can be caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. Influenza viruses can also directly cause acute nephritis.
Acute nephritis presents with edema, hematuria, and hypertension, as well as proteinuria. Severe cases can be accompanied by renal insufficiency and hypertensive encephalopathy. Therefore, if there is edema and hematuria 1 to 3 weeks after a cold, it is important to consider that you may have acute nephritis.
Incentives for exacerbation of chronic nephritis
Chronic nephritis can be caused by bacterial, viral, or protozoan infections through both immune and non immune mechanisms, and some may develop from acute nephritis. "Most chronic nephritis has a concealed onset and a long course. Although it also manifests as edema, proteinuria, hematuria, and hypertension, the condition can vary from mild to severe, from rapid to slow development, and some may develop rapidly into renal insufficiency.".
If a patient with chronic nephritis develops a cold or upper respiratory tract infection, it can trigger immune reactions and inflammatory mediators that damage the nephron. A cold can aggravate the damage once, and repeated colds can repeatedly aggravate the damage to the kidneys. When the nephron hardens and necroses to a certain amount, it can cause damage to renal function.
Risk factors for patients with renal insufficiency
When nephritis develops to a certain extent, the filtration function of the glomerulus is impaired, commonly referred to as renal insufficiency. Early renal insufficiency can have no apparent self perception. However, when kidney damage reaches 75% or more, the creatinine clearance rate is only below 25%, and the blood creatinine will reach about 400 mmol/L.
If such patients develop a severe cold, upper respiratory tract infection, accompanied by high fever, etc., they may have various temporary factors that damage the kidneys. The creatinine clearance rate may suddenly decrease by 5 to 20%, and the blood creatinine will reach 600 to 800 mmol/L or above. In severe cases, gastrointestinal bleeding, hyperkalemia, or heart failure may occur. Although the increase in serum creatinine may be reversible and may decrease to a certain extent after treatment, these risk factors can damage various organs of the body, and even endanger life in severe cases.