Nephrotic Syndrome

Nephrotic syndrome can be

A variety of primary kidney disorders can damage the glomeruli and cause nephrotic syndrome. Minimal change disease is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children.

The secondary causes may involve other parts of the body. The most common disorders causing nephrotic syndrome are diabetes mellitus Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. Urination and thirst are... read more , systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more (lupus), and certain viral infections. Nephrotic syndrome can also result from kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis Glomerulonephritis Glomerulonephritis is a disorder of glomeruli (clusters of microscopic blood vessels in the kidneys with small pores through which blood is filtered). It is characterized by body tissue swelling... read more ). A number of drugs that are toxic to the kidneys can also cause nephrotic syndrome, especially nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Pain relievers (analgesics) are the main drugs used to treat pain. Doctors choose a pain reliever based on the type and duration of pain and on the drug's likely benefits and risks. Most pain... read more (NSAIDs). The syndrome may be caused by certain allergies, including allergies to insect bites and to poison ivy or poison oak. Some types of nephrotic syndrome are hereditary.

Early symptoms include

The abdomen may be swollen because of a large accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity (ascites Ascites Ascites is the accumulation of protein-containing (ascitic) fluid within the abdomen. Many disorders can cause ascites, but the most common is high blood pressure in the veins that bring blood... read more ). Shortness of breath may develop because fluid accumulates in the space surrounding the lungs (pleural effusion Pleural Effusion Pleural effusion is the abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pleural space (the area between the two layers of the thin membrane that covers the lungs). Fluid can accumulate in the pleural... read more ). Other symptoms may include swelling of the labia in women and, in men, the scrotum. Most often, the fluid that causes tissue swelling is affected by gravity and therefore moves around. During the night, fluid accumulates in the upper parts of the body, such as the eyelids. During the day, when the person is sitting or standing, fluid accumulates in the lower parts of the body, such as the ankles. Swelling may hide the muscle wasting that is progressing at the same time.

In children, blood pressure is generally low, and blood pressure may fall when the child stands up (orthostatic or postural hypotension) Dizziness or Light-Headedness When Standing Up In some people, particularly older people, blood pressure drops excessively when they sit or stand up (a condition called orthostatic or postural hypotension). Symptoms of faintness, light-headedness... read more . Shock occasionally develops. Adults may have low, normal, or high blood pressure.

Urine production may decrease, and kidney failure Overview of Kidney Failure This chapter includes a new section on COVID-19 and acute kidney injury (AKI). Kidney failure is the inability of the kidneys to adequately filter metabolic waste products from the blood. Kidney... read more (loss of most kidney function) may develop if the leakage of fluid from blood vessels into tissues depletes the liquid component of blood and the blood supply to the kidneys is diminished. Occasionally, kidney failure with low urine output occurs suddenly.

Nutritional deficiencies may result because nutrients are excreted in the urine. In children, growth may be stunted. Calcium may be lost from bones, and people may have a vitamin D deficiency, Vitamin D Deficiency Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight. Some disorders can also cause the deficiency. The most common cause is lack of exposure to sunlight, usually when... read more leading to osteoporosis. Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a condition in which a decrease in the density of bones weakens the bones, making breaks (fractures) likely. Aging, estrogen deficiency, low vitamin D or calcium intake, and... read more The hair and nails may become brittle, and some hair may fall out. Horizontal white lines may develop in fingernail beds for unknown reasons.

The membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and abdominal organs (peritoneum) may become inflamed and infected. Opportunistic infections—infections caused by normally harmless bacteria—are common. The higher likelihood of infection is thought to occur because the antibodies that normally combat infections are excreted in the urine or not produced in normal amounts. The tendency for blood clotting (thrombosis) increases, particularly inside the main veins draining blood from the kidneys. Less commonly, the blood may not clot when clotting is needed, generally leading to excessive bleeding. High blood pressure accompanied by complications affecting the heart and brain is most likely to occur in people who have diabetes or systemic lupus erythematosus. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more

A doctor bases the diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome on symptoms, physical examination findings, and laboratory findings. Sometimes nephrotic syndrome is at first mistaken for heart failure in older adults because swelling occurs in both disorders and heart failure is common among older people.

A laboratory test of urine collected over a 24-hour period is useful for measuring the degree of protein loss, but collection of urine over such a long period is difficult for many people to accomplish. Alternatively, to estimate protein loss, a single urine specimen can be tested to measure the ratio of the level of protein to that of creatinine (a waste product).

Blood tests and other urine tests detect additional characteristics of the syndrome. The level of albumin in the blood is low because this vital protein is excreted in the urine and its production is impaired. The urine often contains clumps of cells that may be combined with protein and fat (casts). The urine contains low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium.

Concentrations of lipid in the blood are high, sometimes exceeding 10 times that of a normal concentration. Levels of lipid in the urine are also high. Anemia may be present. Levels of blood clotting proteins may be increased or decreased.

The prognosis varies depending on the

Symptoms may disappear completely if the nephrotic syndrome is caused by a treatable disorder, such as an infection, cancer, or drugs, provided the condition is treated early and effectively. This situation occurs in about half the cases in children but less often in adults. If the underlying disorder responds to corticosteroids, sometimes progression of the disease is halted, and less often the condition partially or, rarely, completely reverses. When the syndrome is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is a viral infection that progressively destroys certain white blood cells and can cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV is transmitted... read more , it usually progresses relentlessly, often resulting in complete kidney failure in 3 or 4 months. Children born with the nephrotic syndrome rarely live beyond their first birthday, although a few have survived by means of dialysis Dialysis Dialysis is an artificial process for removing waste products and excess fluids from the body, a process that is needed when the kidneys are not functioning properly. There are a number of reasons... read more treatments or a kidney transplant. Kidney Transplantation Kidney transplantation is the removal of a healthy kidney from a living or recently deceased person and then its transfer into a person with end-stage kidney failure. (See also Overview of Transplantation... read more

When the cause is systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more or diabetes mellitus, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. Urination and thirst are... read more drug treatment often stabilizes or decreases the amount of protein in the urine. However, some people do not respond to drug treatment and develop chronic kidney disease Chronic Kidney Disease Chronic kidney disease is a slowly progressive (months to years) decline in the kidneys’ ability to filter metabolic waste products from the blood. Major causes are diabetes and high blood pressure... read more that progresses to kidney failure within a few years.

Use of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, such as enalapril, benazepril, or lisinopril, or an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), such as candesartan, losartan, or valsartan, is the mainstay of both prevention and treatment. When a person with a disease such as systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) Systemic lupus erythematosus is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory connective tissue disorder that can involve joints, kidneys, skin, mucous membranes, and blood vessel walls. Problems in the... read more or diabetes mellitus Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. Urination and thirst are... read more has mild or moderate proteinuria, an ACE inhibitor or ARB is used as soon as possible because the drug may prevent proteinuria from increasing and kidney function from worsening.

When a person who already has nephrotic syndrome is treated with an ACE inhibitor or ARB, symptoms may decrease, the amount of protein excreted in the urine usually decreases, and fat concentrations in the blood are likely to decline. However, these drugs can increase the potassium levels in the blood in people who have moderate to severe kidney failure, which can cause potentially dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities.

General therapy for nephrotic syndrome includes a diet that contains normal amounts of protein and potassium but that is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

If fluid accumulates in the abdomen, the person may need to eat frequent, small meals because the fluid reduces the capacity of the stomach.

High blood pressure is usually treated with diuretics. Diuretics can also reduce fluid retention and tissue swelling but may increase the risk of blood clots.

Anticoagulants may help control clot formation if it occurs. Infections can be life threatening and must be treated promptly.

Statins, drugs that lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood, may also be needed if people have increased levels of fats (lipids) in the blood.

People should receive the pneumococcal vaccine. Pneumococcal Vaccine Pneumococcal vaccines help protect against bacterial infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci). Pneumococcal infections include ear infections, sinusitis, pneumonia... read more Rarely, so much protein is lost in the urine that the kidneys must be removed.

Whenever possible, specific treatment is aimed at the cause. Treating an infection that causes nephrotic syndrome may cure the syndrome. If a treatable disease, such as certain cancers, causes the syndrome, treating that disease can eliminate the syndrome. If a heroin user with nephrotic syndrome stops using heroin in the early stages of the disease, the syndrome may resolve. If other drugs are responsible for the syndrome, stopping the drugs may be curative. People who are sensitive or allergic to poison oak, poison ivy, or insect bites should avoid these irritants.

If no reversible cause can be found, the person may be given corticosteroids and other drugs that suppress the immune system, such as cyclophosphamide. However, corticosteroids cause problems, particularly for children, in whom these drugs can stunt growth and suppress sexual development (see sidebar Corticosteroids: Uses and Side Effects Corticosteroids: Uses and Side Effects ).

The following is an English-language resource that may be useful. Please note that THE MANUAL is not responsible for the content of this resource.