Genitourinary Disorders Health Channel

	Feature Article Illustrations for this article Click on an image below to enlarge Male urinary system Nephrotic syndrome Definition Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms including protein in the urine (more than 3.5 grams per day), low blood protein levels, high cholesterol levels, and swelling. The urine may also contain fat, which can be seen under the microscope. Alternative Names Nephrosis Causes, incidence, and risk factors Nephrotic syndrome is caused by various disorders that damage the kidneys, particularly the basement membrane of the glomerulus. This immediately causes abnormal excretion of protein in the urine. The most common cause in children is minimal change disease, while membranous glomerulonephritis is the most common cause in adults. This condition can also occur as a result of infection, use of certain drugs, cancer, genetic disorders, immune disorders, or diseases that affect multiple body systems including diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple myeloma, and amyloidosis. It can accompany kidney disorders such as glomerulonephritis, focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, and mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis. Nephrotic syndrome can affect all age groups. In children, it is most common from age 2 to 6. This disorder occurs slightly more often in males than females. Symptoms Swelling (edema ) general around the eyes in the extremities, especially the feet and ankles Swollen abdomen Facial swelling Foamy appearance of the urine Weight gain (unintentional) from fluid retention Poor appetite High blood pressure Signs and tests Physical examination can detect some symptoms. Other symptoms and signs of causative disorders can also be found with examination. Urinalysis reveals large amounts of urine protein. Fats are often also present in the urine. Tests to rule out various causes may include the following: Glucose tolerance test Antinuclear antibody Rheumatoid factor Cryoglobulins Complement levels Hepatitis B and C antibodies VDRL serology Serum protein electrophoresis Kidney biopsy This disease may also alter the results of the following tests: Urinary casts Triglyceride Protein electrophoresis - urine Serum iron Cholesterol Albumin Treatment The goals of treatment are to relieve symptoms, prevent complications and delay progressive kidney damage. Continue reading this article

More Articles

Kidney stones (5 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
A kidney stone is a solid mass made up of tiny crystals. One or more stones can be in the kidney or ureter at the same time.Reviewer: Louis S. Liou, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Urology, Department of Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 01/14/2009

Bladder outlet obstruction (4 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bladder outlet obstruction(BOO) is a blockage at the base of the bladder that reduces or prevents the flow of urine into the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.Bladder outlet obstruction can have many different causes, inclu...Reviewer: Scott M. Gilbert, MD, Department of Urology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/22/2008

Bladder stones (2 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Bladder stones are hard buildups of minerals that form in the urinary bladder.Stones- bladder; Urinary tract stones; Bladder calculi.Bladder stones are usually the result of another urologic problem, such as:.Bladder diverticulum Enlarged prostate...Reviewer: Scott M. Gilbert, MD, Department of Urology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 05/22/2008

Congenital nephrotic syndrome (2 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Congenital nephrotic syndrome is disorder passed down through families in which a baby develops protein in the urine and swelling of the body. Congenital means it is present from birth.Reviewer: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 07/11/2008

Kidney disease (2 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Kidney disease is any disease or disorder that affects the function of the kidneys. This may include:.Reviewer: Parul Patel, MD, Private Practice specializing in Nephrology and Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation, Affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center, Department of Transplantation, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. Date: 10/15/2008

Minimal change disease (1 image) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Minimal change disease is a kidney disorder that can lead to nephrotic syndrome, although the nephrons of the kidney look normal under a regular microscope.Minimal change nephrotic syndrome; Nil disease; Lipoid nephrosis; Idiopathic nephrotic synd...Reviewer: Charles Silberberg, D.O., Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with NY Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.Date: 11/12/2007

Chronic bilateral obstructive uropathy (2 images) (Doctor-Reviewed information)
Chronic bilateral obstructive uropathy is a long-term blockage of urine flow from both kidneys. It is a slow blockage that gets worse over time.Reviewer: Marc A. Greenstein, D.O., F.A.C.O.S. Urologist, Somerset Medical Center in Somerville, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.Date: 01/24/2008

Use Healthline to search the web for more Genitourinary Disorders information.