Your kidneys and liver have similar functions. They filter toxins and waste. The kidneys do this with fluids, while the liver generally takes care of solids. Either organ can experience bacterial or viral infections, invasion of cancer or poisoning by chemicals. When your kidneys become sick from disease or advanced age, the decline in their function leads to renal insufficiency. If your liver becomes ill, it exhibits a rise or elevation in enzymes.
Kidney Function
The kidneys have a complex network of tubules or nephrons that process and transport the fluids you drink. The glomerulus, one of the many parts of the nephron, contains a knot of tiny capillaries. Thousands of nephrons and glomeruli fill the kidneys. Through a series of filtering steps, the "good" fluid eventually reaches the glomerulus where it gets absorbed into your body. If the nephrons become impaired, the glomeruli receive toxins and impurities.
Renal Insufficiency
If you have renal insufficiency, it means unwanted molecules, such as toxins or waste, escape filtration and, by way of the glomeruli, go into your bloodstream. A blood test measures your glomerular filtration rate. As you age, your GFR rises somewhat as a reflection of your kidneys' advanced years. In chronic kidney conditions, the GFR decreases in stages to the point of failure. According to "Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference," the normal GFR is 90 to 100 percent. Stage 1 exhibits mild symptoms, but still shows a GFR of at least 90 percent. In stage 2, the GFR ranges from 60 to 89 percent. Moderate disease in stage three has a GFR of 30 to 59 percent. Severe disease is marked with a GFR of 15 to 29 percent. End-stage kidney failure, stage 5, is a GFR under 15 percent. Dialysis has to take the place of the low or non-functioning kidneys to keep the patient from becoming toxic.
Liver Function
Your liver is the largest, most vascular organ in your body. It inactivates toxins before they get released into the bloodstream. Heavy metals such as lead, tin or mercury get retained. The liver manufactures and secretes bile, a necessary medium in small intestine digestion. It stores glycogen and maintains normal levels of blood glucose, amino acids and fatty acid concentrations. It also makes and secretes cholesterol, stores iron and fat-soluble vitamins. Your liver performs other tasks, as well. Its versatility makes it one of the most vital organs of your body.
Elevated Liver Enzymes
The liver falls prey to many maladies, including viruses such as the group which causes hepatitis, aggressive forms of malignancy, cirrhosis secondary to chronic intoxication with alcohol and various genetic syndromes. When your liver gets sick, you usually have symptoms. Along with those symptoms, the liver enzymes, the cells responsible for all of the liver's actions, rise in numbers in an attempt to overcompensate. Blood labs can detect the elevated levels.
References
- "Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference;" Pagana and Pagana; 2001
- MedlinePlus; Chronic Kidney Disease; Aug. 12, 2009
- UC Davis Health System: Renal Insufficiency
