Scleroderma kidney is really a disease of the blood supply inside the kidney. The renal arteries progressively split much like a tree into small branches as they carry blood towards the filtering units. Normally, blood first supplies the outer layer (cortex) and filtering units and then continues down to supply the rest of the kidney. Therefore, damaged blood vessels before the filtering units, will affect the entire kidney, starving it of oxygen and nutrients. This is the problem in scleroderma kidney. The kidney dislikes the fact that it is not getting enough blood and responds to this state of starvation by trying to retain salt and water and this increases the water part of the blood. It does this by activating a hormonal system called the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
In the blood vessels of the kidney, are cells which secrete the hormone renin. Renin circulates and initiates a chain reaction which ultimately causes salt and water to be retained and also causes blood vessels all over the body to narrow. These two things lead to the extremely high blood pressure crises that are characteristic of scleroderma kidney. The narrowing of the blood vessels before the filter means that less filtration occurs as well. Waste products gradually build up and the syndrome of renal failure develops.
To download our leaflet on Kidney Involvement in Scleroderma click here.
Wednesday, 08 September 2010
The Cool Million!!
To celebrate the charity’s 30th Anniversary in 2012, the RSA is aiming to raise a total of one million pounds for research over the next two years. The money will be used to fund several projects into Raynaud's and scleroderma. People with these conditions will be given an opportunity to send in suggestions as to what they feel are the most important areas of research that they would like to see funded. These ideas will then be considered by the trustees and medical advisers. One of the aims is to generate enthusiasm amongst the medical profession throughout the UK, in order to help find better treatments and ultimately a cure. To find out more click here.