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Kidney-Well
II ™ |
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 Dr.
Shaw on Glomerulonephritis:
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| What
is glomerulonephritis?
Glomerulonephritis
is a kidney disease in which the kidneys'
filters become inflamed and scarred, and slowly lose
the ability to remove wastes and excess of water from
blood to make urine. It is a rare kidney inflammatory
condition that leads to the destruction of the glomeruli.
It effects about 4/10,000 people. Kidney disease of
diabetes, IgA nephropathy, and lupus nephritis are some
types of glomerulonephritis.
Nephrotic
Syndrome
This is a group kidney disease with signs and symptoms
that may accompany glomerulonephritis and other condition,
which affect the filtering ability of the glomeruli.
High protein levels in the urine, leading to low protein
levels in the blood, high cholesterol, swelling of the
eyelids and facial edema, feet and abdomen are common
characteristics of the syndrome |
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| What
are symptoms of glomerulonephritis? Evidence
of glomerulonephritis may include:
- Fatigue
- High blood pressure
- Noticeable swelling of the face, hands, feet, and
ankles
- Blood and protein in the urine Unfortunately, the
kidneys can be severely damaged before symptoms and
signs appear.
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| Causes
and Diagnostics
Glomerulonephritis
may be a temporary and reversible condition, but it
can be progressive. Progressive glomerulonephritis often
causes destruction of the kidney glomeruli, leading
to chronic renal failure - the end stage of renal disease.
The disease may be caused by specific problems with
the body's immune system, but the precise cause in most
of cases is unknown.
Damaged
glomeruli and subsequent loss of kidney filtering ability
lead to the secretion of blood and protein in urine.
Because symptoms of glomerulonephritis develop gradually,
it can be discovered only by urinalysis during routine
physical check up. Glomerulonephritis often cause hypertension,
which is observed in as many as 80% of patients.
Chronic
glomerulonephritis may develop after survival of the
acute phase of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis.
In about one-fourth of patients with chronic glomerulonephritis,
there is no prior history of kidney disease, and the
disorder first appears as a chronic renal failure.
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| Specific
disorders that are associated with glomerulonephritis
include: Focal
segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSG)
Goodpasture's syndrome
IgA nephropathy (Berger disease)
IgM mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis
Lupus nephritis
Membranoproliferative GN I
Membranoproliferative GN II
Post-streptococcal GN
Rapidly progressive (crescentic) glomerulonephritis
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN)
Chronic Glomerulonephritis
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How
is glomerulonephritis treated?
Unfortunately, with today's western medicine, kidney disease
cannot be cured. Treatments primarily focus on slowing
the progression of the disease and preventing complications.
Drugs called ACE (angiotensin
converting enzymes) inhibitors have a special
protective effect on the kidneys in diabetic and high
blood pressure patients.
Corticosteroids,
immunosuppressants, or other medications may
be used to treat some of the causes of chronic glomerulonephritis.
Some patients may benefit from limiting protein in their
diet (to reduce the build-up of wastes in the blood).
Sodium and potassium intake should also be minimized.
Unfortunately, after about 10 years, the chronic glomerulonephritis
in many cases progresses to kidney failure, then the
patients will need dialysis or a kidney transplant.
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