The kidneys remove waste products from the blood and produce urine. The main cause of impaired kidney (renal) function is diabetes (diabetic nephropathy). It can lead to acute, chronic or end-stage renal failure. The only treatments for kidney failure are dialysis or kidney transplant. Other renal conditions include kidney infections, kidney stones, nephritis (inflammation), nephrotic syndrome (involving proteinuria, edema and high cholesterol) and polycystic kidney disease (involving kidney cysts).

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