Which set of changes is characteristic of uremia?

Which set of changes is characteristic of uremia?

• A. BUN high, Creatinine high, GFR low
• B. BUN high, Creatinine low, GFR high
• C. BUN low, Creatinine high, GFR low
• D. BUN high, Creatinine high, GFR high

Answer: (A)

Uremia occurs when kidney function is severely reduced, so waste products that are normally cleared—like urea (reflected by BUN) and creatinine—accumulate in the blood. As the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) falls with kidney failure, the kidneys’ ability to clear these wastes diminishes, leading to rises in both BUN and creatinine along with a low GFR. This combination best fits the situation of uremia. If GFR were high, filtration is adequate and uremia wouldn’t be present; if creatinine or BUN were low, that would not align with reduced kidney clearance and accumulation of wastes.

Uremia occurs when kidney function is severely reduced, so waste products that are normally cleared—like urea (reflected by BUN) and creatinine—accumulate in the blood. As the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) falls with kidney failure, the kidneys’ ability to clear these wastes diminishes, leading to rises in both BUN and creatinine along with a low GFR. This combination best fits the situation of uremia. If GFR were high, filtration is adequate and uremia wouldn’t be present; if creatinine or BUN were low, that would not align with reduced kidney clearance and accumulation of wastes.