Acute glomerulonephritis
Red flags
Consider urgent referral for patients with the following
- Sudden onset of haematuria with reduced renal function
- Proteinuria with associated oedema
- Unexplained decline in renal function
Disease information
Inflammation of the glomerulus characterised by reduced renal function, proteinuria and haematuria.
Causes
- Autoimmune
- IgA nephropathy
- Post streptococcal
- ANCA vasculitis
- Membranous nephropathy
- Lupus nephritis
- Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
- Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease (Goodpasture’s Disease)
- Cancer related
- Infection related
- Hepatitis B or C
- Endocarditis
- HIV
- Genetic
- Alports
Symptoms and signs:
- Haematuria
- Proteinuria
- Peripheral oedema
- Hypertension
- Renal pain
Other important information for referring practitioners
Lifestyle changes
- Encourage smoking cessation and healthy lifestyle
- Advise low salt diet
- Give action plan encourage to monitor fluid balance with daily weighs
Medical management
- Monitor fluid balance with daily weighs
- Monitor BP
- Carefully monitor renal function
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- Presence of any Red Flags
- Reason for referral
- Timeline of symptoms
- Include history of sore throat if any
- Previous relevant medical history
- Drug history and Allergies
- Ethnicity (A and TSI especially at risk)
- Relevant examination features (e.g. hypertension, oedema, rash)
- Investigations
- FBC, E/LFT, eGFR, Urinary protein analysis, urine protein selectivity (albumin IgG ratio), MSU C&S, Urine microscopy for cells casts, dysmorphic RBC
- ASOT, Immunoglobulins, ANCA, ANA, Hepatitis B and C, HIV
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Renal ultrasound
Out of catchment
Metro North Health is responsible for providing public health services to the people who reside within its boundaries. Special consideration is made for patients requiring tertiary care or services that are not provided by their local Hospital and Health Service. If your patient lives outside the Metro North Health area and you wish to refer them to one of our services, inclusion of information regarding their particular medical and social factors will assist with the triaging of your referral.
- Impact on employment
- Impact on education
- Impact on home
- Impact on activities of daily living
- Impact on ability to care for others
- Impact on personal frailty or safety
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- To establish a diagnosis
- For treatment or intervention
- For advice and management
- For specialist to take over management
- Reassurance for GP/second opinion
- For a specified test/investigation the GP can’t order, or the patient can’t afford or access
- Reassurance for the patient/family
- For other reason (e.g. rapidly accelerating disease progression)
- Clinical judgement indicates a referral for specialist review is necessary
- Presenting symptoms (evolution and duration)
- Physical findings
- Details of previous treatment (including systemic and topical medications prescribed) including the course and outcome of the treatment
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Details of any associated medical conditions which may affect the condition or its treatment (e.g. diabetes), noting these must be stable and controlled prior to referral
- Current medications and dosages
- Drug allergies
- Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use
- Full name (including aliases)
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Telephone contact number/s – home, mobile and alternative
- Medicare number (where eligible)
- Name of the parent or caregiver (if appropriate)
- Preferred language and interpreter requirements
- Identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
- Full name
- Full address
- Contact details – telephone, fax, email
- Provider number
- Date of referral
- Signature
- Willingness to have surgery (where surgery is a likely intervention)
- Choice to be treated as a public or private patient
- Compensable status (e.g. DVA, Work Cover, Motor Vehicle Insurance, etc.)
Send referral
Hotline: 1300 364 938
Fax: 1300 364 952
Electronic: eReferral system
Mail: Metro North Central Patient Intake
Aspley Community Centre
776 Zillmere Road
ASPLEY QLD 4034
Health pathways
Access to Health Pathways is free for clinicians in Metro North Brisbane.
For login details email:
healthpathways
Login to Brisbane North Health Pathways:
brisbanenorth.
Locations
- Redcliffe Hospital
- Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
- Nundah Community Health Centre
- North Lakes Health Precinct
- Stafford Kidney Health Centre