Top 10 Symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome

The Main Symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome that we should not ignore. Also, Nephrotic Syndrome can occur when the filtering units of the kidney are damaged. This damage allows protein normally held in plasma to escape into your urine  in large amounts, which reduces the amount of protein in your blood. Since protein in the blood helps keep fluid in the bloodstream, some of this fluid leaks out of the bloodstream into the tissues, causing swelling, called edema . The swelling may be most visible in your legs after you’ve stopped and around your eyes when you get up in the morning.

Eventually, swelling in your legs can be there all the time, and it can also occur in other parts of your body. You may notice that your urine  is more foamy than usual due to the amount of protein it contains.

Causes of Nephrotic Syndrome: Nephrotic  Syndrome is caused by different disorders that damage the kidneys. This damage leads to the release of too much protein in the urine . The most common cause in children is minimal change disease. Membranous glomerulonephritis is the most common cause in adults. In both diseases, the glomeruli in the kidneys are damaged. Glomeruli are the structures that help filter waste and fluids. This condition can also occur from:

• Cancer
• Diseases such as diabetes , systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple myeloma, and amyloidosis
• genetic disorders
• immune disorders
• Infections (such as strep, hepatitis, or mononucleosis)
• Use of certain medications

It can occur with kidney disorders such as:

• Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis
• glomerulonephritis
• Mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis
• Nephrotic Syndrome can affect all age groups. In children, it is most common between the ages of 2 and 6. This disorder occurs a little more often in men than in women.

Symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome:  Swelling ( edema ) is the most common symptom. Nephrotic  Syndrome  can occur:

• On the face and around the eyes (facial swelling)
• In the arms and legs, especially the feet and ankles
• In the belly area (swollen abdomen)

Other symptoms include:

• Weight gain (unintentional) from fluid retention
• Rash or sores
• Foamy appearance of urine
• little appetite
• seizures

Diagnosing Nephrotic Syndrome:  Doctors diagnose Nephrotic Syndrome using:

• Urine tests to measure the amount of protein in your urine .
• Blood tests to measure the amount of protein, cholesterol  and sugar (glucose) in your blood.
• Ultrasound to look at the kidneys. This test can rule out other causes of your symptoms.
• A kidney biopsy may be done to find the cause. You may also have other tests to identify what is causing Nephrotic Syndrome .

Complications of Nephrotic Syndrome:  Complications of Nephrotic Syndrome can include:

• Dehydration – low levels of protein can lead to a reduction in blood volume. In severe cases, intravenous fluids may be given to increase the body’s water content.
• Blood clots – these occur in the veins of the legs and occasionally in the renal veins. Blood clots can also enter the lungs and cause chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.
• Infection – infection and inflammation (peritonitis) of the peritoneal cavity. This is the thin elastic lining that contains the pancreas, stomach, intestine, liver, gallbladder, and other organs. Fever may indicate infection
• Kidney failure – without treatment, the kidneys can fail in extreme cases.