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What blood types "match"? Blood typing is the first blood test that will determine if your blood is compatible with the potential donor's blood. If the donor's blood type works with your blood type, the donor will take the next blood test (tissue typing). Kidney donors must have a compatible blood...

Being a teenager is hard.  Dealing with kidney disease can make it feel even more challenging. You are probably taking at least one medication, maybe more. Remembering to take your medications every day and at the right time is not always easy.  It may seem as if the other parts of your...

Nephrotic syndrome may occur when the filtering units of the kidney are damaged. This damage allows protein normally kept in the plasma to leak into the urine in large amounts, which reduces the amount of protein in your blood. Since the protein in the blood helps keep fluid in the bloodstream,...

What is minimal change disease? Many diseases can affect your kidney function by attacking and damaging the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside your kidney where blood is cleaned. The conditions that affect your glomeruli are called glomerular diseases. One of these conditions is minimal...

It is not uncommon for children to sometimes have blood in their urine (pee). Sometimes, it can change the color of the urine. Blood in a child's urine can have different causes, many of which go away on their own or are easily treated. What is hematuria? Blood in the urine is called hematuria....

Why are kidneys important for bone health? Healthy kidneys do many important jobs. They remove wastes and extra fluid from your body, help make red blood cells, and help keep bones strong. They also help to keep the right amount of minerals in your blood. Minerals are nutrients that your body needs...

Many people who need transplants of organs and tissues cannot get them because of a shortage of donations. Every month, more than 2,000 new names are added to the national waiting list for organ transplants. About 16 or 17 people die every day while waiting for a transplant of a vital organ such as...

I’ve heard different terms for not receiving dialysis. What do they mean? You may have heard of stopping or not starting dialysis. This is also called “conservative care” or “medical management.” This type of care can meet different goals depending on your specific needs and overall health....

Good health care is always a team effort - especially for people with chronic kidney failure. Since each member of the health care staff contributes to your care, it is important for you and your family to build a good working relationship with them. The health care team will probably include:...

Your comprehensive guide to kidney disease and related conditions and topics.

What is membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis? Many diseases can affect your kidney function by attacking and damaging the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside your kidney where blood is cleaned. The conditions that affect your glomeruli are called glomerular diseases. Glomerular diseases...

C3G (complement 3 glomerulopathy) is a rare chronic kidney disease that can have a major impact on a patient's health throughout their life. Recognizing this impact, the National Kidney Foundation has created this website to raise awareness and understanding about C3G.   Check back for...

What is a nephrectomy? Nephrectomy (nephro = kidney, ectomy = removal) is the surgical removal of a kidney. The procedure is done to treat kidney cancer as well as other kidney diseases and injuries. Nephrectomy is also done to remove a healthy kidney from a donor (either living or deceased) for...

What is glomerular disease? Your kidneys may be small, but they perform many vital functions that help maintain your overall health, including filtering waste and excess fluids from your blood. Your kidneys have about one million tiny filter units called nephrons. Each nephron has a glomerulus, so...

Nephropathic cystinosis is a rare disease that usually appears in infants and children at a young age. It is a life-long condition, but available treatments, such as cysteamine therapy and kidney transplantation, have allowed people with the disease to live longer. Cystinosis is a disease...

​​​Infections in the throat or on the skin can sometimes cause short term kidney disease in children. This happens when the immune system, which fights off infection, also attacks the kidneys during that fight. This can damage the kidneys and make them less able to filter blood until healing is...

Working is very important to many people who have kidney failure, also known as end stage renal disease (ESRD). It can help them to have a feeling of value to their families, to society and to themselves. As an employer, you probably have many questions about how hiring or continuing to employ...

Although many medical advances have been made in the treatment of kidney and urinary tract disease, the emotional effects of kidney failure on patients and their families remain great because many areas of everyday living have to be changed. Receiving Treatment for Kidney Failure Returning to...

dRTA (distal Renal Tubular Acidosis) - a resource center for patients and their families. dRTA is a rare type of kidney disease that can have a have major impact on a person’s health throughout their life. National Kidney Foundation has created this website to raise awareness and understanding...

Pathophysiology Nephropathic cystinosis is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder. It is a rare disease with a lifelong impact on the patient. The yearly incidence of nephropathic cystinosis is ~1:150,000 to 200,000 live births and its prevalence is ~1.6 per million population.1 However the...

Complement 3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is a rare kidney disease that has two forms: dense deposit disease (DDD) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN). Each is caused by genetic or acquired problems in controlling the body’s complement system, which helps fight infections. Genetic problems can be inherited or...

A Guide for Children with Kidney Disease, Kidney Failure, or a Kidney Transplant Click on the thumbnail to download a schedule of childhood vaccinations. Why does my child need a vaccination? Vaccinations are often called “shots” (given as an injection with a needle), but vaccinations can also be...

The Basics  Donating a Kidney Who can be a living donor?   How do I Start the Process to be a Living Donor Donating to Someone you Know Donating Anonymously   The Evaluation Living Donor Evaluation Informed Consent  Recommended Guidelines for the Care of...

Good health care is always a team effort—especially for people with chronic kidney disease. This fact sheet tells you about the health professionals who care for dialysis patients. For information about the health care professionals who care for transplant recipients, see “Your Transplant Care Team...

What is interstitial cystitis? Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a disorder in which the bladder (the organ that stores urine before it is passed out of the body) is overly sensitive, and usual causes for this, such as infection, cannot be found. The major symptoms are: pain in the pelvic area urgent...