TN 30 (10-23)
6.00 GENITOURINARY
DISORDERS
(Effective Date: 12/09/2014)
A. Which
disorders do we evaluate under these listings?
We evaluate genitourinary disorders resulting in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Examples
of such disorders include chronic glomerulonephritis, hypertensive nephropathy, diabetic
nephropathy, chronic obstructive uropathy, and hereditary nephropathies. We also evaluate
nephrotic syndrome due to glomerular dysfunction under these listings.
B. What
evidence do we need?
1. We need evidence that documents the signs, symptoms, and laboratory findings of
your CKD. This evidence should include reports of clinical examinations, treatment
records, and documentation of your response to treatment. Laboratory findings, such
as serum creatinine or serum albumin levels, may document your kidney function. We
generally need evidence covering a period of at least 90 days unless we can make a
fully favorable determination or decision without it.
2. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The eGFR is an estimate of the filtering capacity of the kidneys that takes into
account serum creatinine concentration and other variables, such as your age, gender,
and body size. If your medical evidence includes eGFR findings, we will consider them
when we evaluate your CKD under 6.05.
3. Kidney or bone biopsy. If you have had a kidney or bone biopsy, we need a copy of the pathology report.
When we cannot get a copy of the pathology report, we will accept a statement from
an acceptable medical source verifying that a biopsy was performed and describing
the results.
C. What
other factors do we consider when we evaluate your genitourinary
disorder?
1. Chronic
hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.
a. Dialysis is a treatment for CKD that uses artificial means to remove toxic metabolic
byproducts from the blood. Hemodialysis uses an artificial kidney machine to clean
waste products from the blood; peritoneal dialysis uses a dialyzing solution that
is introduced into and removed from the abdomen (peritoneal cavity) either continuously
or intermittently. Under 6.03, your ongoing dialysis must have lasted or be expected
to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months. To satisfy the requirements
in 6.03, we will accept a report from an acceptable medical source that describes
your CKD and your current dialysis, and indicates that your dialysis will be ongoing.
b. If you are undergoing chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis, your CKD may
meet our definition of disability before you started dialysis. We will determine the
onset of your disability based on the facts in your case record.
2. Kidney
transplant.
a. If you receive a kidney transplant, we will consider you to be disabled under 6.04
for 1 year from the date of transplant. After that, we will evaluate your residual
impairment(s) by considering your post-transplant function, any rejection episodes
you have had, complications in other body systems, and any adverse effects related
to ongoing treatment.
b. If you received a kidney transplant, your CKD may meet our definition of disability
before you received the transplant. We will determine the onset of your disability
based on the facts in your case record.
3. Renal osteodystrophy. This condition is the bone degeneration resulting from chronic kidney disease-mineral
and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). CKD-MBD occurs when the kidneys are unable to maintain
the necessary levels of minerals, hormones, and vitamins required for bone structure
and function. Under 6.05B1, “severe bone
pain” means frequent or intractable (resistant to treatment) bone pain that interferes
with physical activity or mental functioning.
4. Peripheral neuropathy. This disorder results when the kidneys do not adequately filter toxic substances
from the blood. These toxins can adversely affect nerve tissue. The resulting neuropathy
may affect peripheral motor or sensory nerves, or both, causing pain, numbness, tingling,
and muscle weakness in various parts of the body. Under 6.05B2, the peripheral neuropathy
must be a severe impairment. (See §§404.1520(c), 404.1521, 416.920(c), and 416.921
of this chapter.) It must also have lasted or be expected to last for a continuous
period of at least 12 months.
5. Fluid overload syndrome. This condition occurs when excess sodium and water retention in the body due to
CKD results in vascular congestion. Under 6.05B3, we need a description of a physical
examination that documents signs and symptoms of vascular congestion, such as congestive
heart failure, pleural effusion (excess fluid in the chest), ascites (excess fluid
in the abdomen), hypertension, fatigue, shortness of breath, or peripheral edema.
6. Anasarca (generalized massive edema or swelling). Under 6.05B3 and 6.06B, we need a description
of the extent of edema, including pretibial (in front of the tibia), periorbital (around
the eyes), or presacral (in front of the sacrum) edema. We also need a description
of any ascites, pleural effusion, or pericardial effusion.
7. Anorexia (diminished appetite) with weight loss. Anorexia is a frequent sign of CKD and can result in weight loss. We will use body
mass index (BMI) to determine the severity of your weight loss under 6.05B4. (BMI
is the ratio of your measured weight to the square of your measured height.) We calculate
your BMI using the formulas in the digestive disorders body system (5.00).
8. Complications of CKD. The hospitalizations in 6.09 may be for different complications of CKD. Examples
of complications from CKD that may result in hospitalization include stroke, congestive
heart failure, hypertensive crisis, or acute kidney failure requiring a short course
of hemodialysis. If the CKD complication occurs during a hospitalization that was
initially for a co-occurring condition, we will evaluate it under our rules for determining
medical equivalence. (See §§404.1526 and 416.926 of this chapter.) We will evaluate
co-occurring conditions, including those that result in hospitalizations, under the
listings for the affected body system or under our rules for medical equivalence.
D. How
do we evaluate disorders that do not meet one of the genitourinary
listings?
1. The listed disorders are only examples of common genitourinary disorders that we
consider severe enough to prevent you from doing any gainful activity. If your impairment(s)
does not meet the criteria of any of these listings, we must also consider whether
you have an impairment(s) that satisfies the criteria of a listing in another body
system.
2. If you have a severe medically determinable impairment(s) that does not meet a
listing, we will determine whether your impairment(s) medically equals a listing.
(See §§404.1526 and 416.926 of this chapter.) Genitourinary disorders may be associated
with disorders in other body systems, and we consider the combined effects of multiple
impairments when we determine whether they medically equal a listing. If your impairment(s)
does not meet or medically equal the criteria of a listing, you may or may not have
the residual functional capacity to engage in substantial gainful activity. We proceed
to the fourth and, if necessary, the fifth steps of the sequential evaluation process
in §§404.1520 and 416.920 of this chapter. We use the rules in §§404.1594 and 416.994
of this chapter, as appropriate, when we decide whether you continue to be disabled.
6.01 Category of Impairments, Genitourinary Disorders
6.03
Chronic kidney
disease,
with chronic hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis (see 6.00C1).
6.04
Chronic kidney disease, with
kidney transplant. Consider under a disability for 1 year following the transplant; thereafter, evaluate
the residual impairment (see 6.00C2).
6.05
Chronic kidney disease, with
impairment of kidney function, with A and B:
A. Reduced glomerular filtration evidenced by one of the following laboratory findings
documented on at least two occasions at least 90 days apart during a consecutive 12-month
period:
1. Serum creatinine of 4 mg/dL or greater; or
2. Creatinine clearance of 20 ml/min. or less; or
3. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 20 ml/min/1.73m2 or less.
AND
B. One of the following:
1. Renal osteodystrophy (see 6.00C3) with severe bone pain and imaging studies documenting
bone abnormalities, such as osteitis fibrosa, osteomalacia, or pathologic fractures;
or
2. Peripheral neuropathy (see 6.00C4); or
3. Fluid overload syndrome (see 6.00C5) documented by one of the following:
a. Diastolic hypertension greater than or equal to diastolic blood pressure of 110
mm Hg despite at least 90 consecutive days of prescribed therapy, documented by at
least two measurements of diastolic blood pressure at least 90 days apart during a
consecutive 12-month period; or
b. Signs of vascular congestion or anasarca (see 6.00C6) despite at least 90 consecutive
days of prescribed therapy, documented on at least two occasions at least 90 days
apart during a consecutive 12-month period; or
4. Anorexia with weight loss (see 6.00C7) determined by body mass index (BMI) of 18.0
or less, calculated on at least two occasions at least 90 days apart during a consecutive
12-month period.
6.06
Nephrotic syndrome, with A and B:
A. Laboratory findings as described in 1 or 2, documented on at least two occasions
at least 90 days apart during a consecutive 12-month period:
1. Proteinuria of 10.0 g or greater per 24 hours; or
2. Serum albumin of 3.0 g/dL or less, and
a. Proteinuria of 3.5 g or greater per 24 hours; or
b. Urine total-protein-to-creatinine ratio of 3.5 or greater.
AND
B. Anasarca (see 6.00C6) persisting for at least 90 days despite prescribed treatment.
6.09
Complications of chronic kidney disease (see 6.00C8) requiring at least three hospitalizations within a consecutive 12-month
period and occurring at least 30 days apart. Each hospitalization must last at least
48 hours, including hours in a hospital emergency department immediately before the
hospitalization.