hi i have rheumatoid arthritis but well under control and mobile plus i have pulmonary fibrosis due to the arthritis - my kidneys are very healthy and my husband has a GFR of 20% my blood group matches his and if the tissues match can i be an eligible living donor??
Dear lady, I really appreciate your concern for your husband, but there are a few things that you need to considerFirstly, there is no direct effect of RA on kidneys. It does not damage the kidney per se. However, RA is a spectrum of autoimmune diseases where your own antibodies have become your enemy. These antibodies keep causing some amount of vasculitis(inflammation of the blood vessels in body). The vasculitis can also indirectly affect your kidneys to varying extents. Also, pts of RA also are prescribed NSAIDs which also contribute to kidney damage. The best approach would be to get certain investigations done to assess the present state of your kidneys1. USG to see your kidney architecture 2. Urinalysis including 24 hr urine protein excretion to assess any initial damage that has begun3. Finally, a DTPA scan to objectively assess the functionality of each of your kidneys. In my opinion, with these three investigations, we will be able to clearly decipher if you can be a donor or notable free to post any further queries or get back with test results. Thanks