What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Stage 3 CKD

As its name indicates, chronic kidney disease is a chronically progressive disease. Different from acute renal failure, the kidneys do not stop working suddenly but lose its functions gradually. CKD can be clinically divided into 5 stages according to GFR which can reflects the remaining kidney functions with the patients' age, gender, race, serum creatinine and body weight.

Stage 3 CKD means moderate decline of kidney functions with glomerular filtration rate of 30-59ml/min. In this stage, about half kidney functions have been lost and some patients might experience some clinical symptoms and discomforts.

The common symptoms and signs of stage 3 CKD are as follows.

1. Swelling. The kidney can remove excessive fluid outside the body and with declined renal functions, these excessive fluid will retain in the body and cause swelling around the eyes, in the feet, hands, ankles and lower legs. Too much fluid retention can cause shortness of breath, difficulty in walking and increased infections. In case of severe edema, patients should limit daily water intake which should be adjusted according to 24-hour urine output.

2. Anemia. Stage 3 CKD patients often feel general ill feeling and fatigue. This is mainly caused by anemia due to low red blood cell count. Kidneys have the functions of secreting one hormone called erythropoietin which is responsible to stimulate the bone marrow to produce enough red blood cells. Inadequate red blood cells will cause shortness of blood and oxygen and many nutritions to the body cells, so patients will often feel tired and fatigue.

3. Urinary changes. There will be a series of changes in urine---protein, red blood cells, white blood cells in urine, urinary frequency, urgency and pain, diuresis, oliguria, anuria and increased night urination according to different causes of CKD.

4. High blood pressure. Renal hypertension can be caused by water and sodium retention or excessive secretion of renin. Renal hypertension should be treated timely and properly or it will in turn worsen renal damages.

5. Back pain. Not all stage 3 CKD cases will have this symptoms. It is common and typical sign of some renal cystic diseases such as PKD, kidney cysts.