Autoimmune renal disease
Red flags
Consider urgent referral to DEM for patients with the following
- Sudden deterioration of renal function
- Development of signs of fluid overload/heart failure in known CKD
Disease information
Conditions in this category include
- Vasculitides
- Granulomatous polyangitis (GPA) (Wegener’s granulomatosis)
- Churg-Strauss syndrome
- Polyarteritis nodosa
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
- Progressive systemic sclerosis
- Sjogren’s syndrome
- Myeloma
- Cryoglobulinaemia
- Haemolytic-Uraemic syndrome
- Sickle cell disease
Other important information for referring practitioners
Lifestyle changes
- Encourage healthy diet and maintain healthy weight and exercise
- Avoid excess salt intake
- Monitor weight for fluid overload
Medical management
- Manage underlying condition. This will usually be in a multidisciplinary management depending on the underlying disease and may involve immunology, oncology, rheumatology or cardiology
- Monitor and control BP, monitor urinary protein excretion and eGFR regularly
Referral requirements
A referral may be rejected without the following information.
- Reason for referral
- Presence of any Red Flags
- Timeline of symptoms
- Include underlying cause of renal disease if known
- Current management
- If previously seen by a specialist nephrologist include last two letters
- Co-morbid conditions
- Medication list and allergies
- Relevant examination findings
- BP
- Diabetic control (HBA1c) if present
- Investigations
- FBC, E/LFT with eGFR
- If anaemic include iron studies, vitamin B12 and folate, CRP and PTH
- Urine microscopy for RBC morphology, casts
- Random urine protein, albumin/creatinine ratio
- KUB ultrasound
Additional referral information (useful for processing the referral)
- Renal CT/ intravenous pyelogram if done
- 24 hr urinary protein excretion
- ANCA, ANA, ENA, anti DNA ABs
- Renal biopsy result
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