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Stages & Symptoms of End-Stage Kidney Disease

End-stage kidney disease is the fifth and final stage of chronic kidney disease. At this point, the kidneys are functioning at such a low level that they cannot sustain life.

  1. Diagnosis

    • According to the Rogosin Institute, end stage kidney disease is diagnosed when kidney function is reduced to 15 percent. Most people entering this stage have previously been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease.

    Symptoms

    • According to NKUDIC, the kidneys filter waste products out of the body; when they stop working, the body fills with waste, causing swollen extremities, extreme tiredness and weakness, flu-like symptoms, anemia and overall changes in body function.

    Prognosis

    • Left untreated, end-stage kidney disease results in seizures, coma and death. There are only two options at this stage: dialysis and transplantation.

    Dialysis

    • Dialysis cleans waste from the blood with a dialysis machine. NKUDIC indicates there are two main types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

    Transplantation

    • Transplantation replaces the patient's failed kidney with a healthy kidney from a living or recently deceased donor. Anti-rejection drugs will help the body to accept the new kidney. A successful transplant will eliminate the kidney disease, although regular testing is necessary to prevent future problems.

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