Symptoms:

AERD may not cause any symptoms. If there are symptoms, they may begin suddenly, or slowly get worse over weeks or even months. Symptoms may include:

• Fever, muscle aches, headaches, and weight loss
• Flank (sides of the body) pain and blood in the urine (rare)
• Foot pain, ulcers on the feet, or “blue toes”
• High blood pressure that is difficult to control
• Pain in the abdomen, nausea, or vomiting
• Pancreatitis or hepatitis (rare)
• Strokes or blindness

Kidney failure may result in:

• Decrease in sensation (feeling)
• Decreased or no urine output
• Drowsiness, confusion, lethargy
• Dry itchy skin
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Skin pigment changes
• Swelling
• Weight loss

Signs and tests:

The doctor will perform a physical exam. Swelling may affect the entire body. An eye exam may show particles in the small arteries of the retina.

The doctor will listen to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope. Abnormal sounds may be heard. For example, a loud whooshing sound called a bruit may be heard over the aorta or renal artery.

Blood pressure may be high. There may be multiple ulcers of the skin of the lower feet.

Tests that may be done include:

• Abdominal CT scan
• Abdominal MRI
• Abdominal x-ray
• Chem-7 or chem-20
• Complete blood count
• Kidney biopsy
• Kidney function tests including BUN and creatinine
• Kidney or abdominal ultrasound
• Renal arteriography
• Serum complement
• Serum lipids
• Urinalysis