Medical & Surgical Urology
Open Access

Nephrotic Syndrome Pathophysiology: its Complications, Risk Factors and Symptoms

Luen Yen^{* *}Correspondence: Luen Yen, Department of Urology, University of Dongguan, Dongguan, China, Email:

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Description

The symptoms of nephrotic syndrome are a group brought on by kidney disease. This involves high blood lipids, low blood albumin, protein in the urine, and considerable edoema. Other signs could include gaining weight, feeling exhausted, and foaming urine. Blood clots, infections, and high blood pressure are just a few possible complications. Many kidney conditions, such as minimum change disease, membranous nephropathy, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, are among the causes.

Moreover, it could develop as a consequence of lupus or diabetes. The kidney's glomeruli are often damaged as part of the underlying mechanism. Often, urine tests and occasionally a kidney biopsy is used to make the diagnosis. The lack of red blood cells in the urine sets it apart from nephritic syndrome. The root cause is the focus of treatment. Managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and infection risk are additional requirements. It's common advice to consume little fluid and eat less salt. Each year, 5 out of every 100,000 persons are afflicted. The typical underlying factor differs in children and adults.

Pathophysiology

The blood that enters the kidney is filtered by the glomerulus. It is made of capillaries with tiny pores that let small molecules with molecular weights under 40,000 Daltons pass through but not larger macromolecules like proteins. When glomeruli are affected by inflammation or hyalinization, which is the formation of a homogenous crystalline material inside of cells, proteins like albumin, antithrombin, or immunoglobulins can pass through the cell membrane and end up in the urine. This condition is known as nephrotic syndrome. The primary blood protein responsible for maintaining an oncotic pressure, which prevents fluid leaking into the extracellular media and the subsequent development of edoemas, is albumin. The liver starts a compensatory mechanism in response to hypoproteinemia that involves the creation of proteins such alpha-2 macroglobulin and lipoproteins. The hyperlipidemia linked to this disease may be brought on by an increase in the latter.

Complications

Possible complications of nephrotic syndrome include:

Blood clots: Blood proteins that aid in preventing clotting may be lost if the glomeruli are unable to filter blood effectively. By doing this, human run a higher risk of getting a blood clot in human veins.

High blood cholesterol and elevated blood triglycerides: Human liver produces more albumin as the amount of the protein albumin in blood decreases. The human liver also produces higher triglycerides and cholesterol at the same time.

Poor nutrition: Malnutrition may occur from an excessive loss of blood proteins. Edema may cover up weight loss as a result of this. Humans may also have low levels of vitamin D, blood proteins, and red blood cells (anaemia).

High blood pressure: Blood pressure can increase in people when their glomeruli are damaged and extra bodily fluid accumulates as a result

Chronic kidney disease: Human kidneys may gradually start to lose their functionality due to nephrotic syndrome. Humans may require dialysis or a kidney transplant if their renal function deteriorates severely enough.

Infections: Nephrotic syndrome sufferers are more vulnerable to infections.

Acute kidney injury: Waste materials can quickly accumulate in human’s blood if human kidneys lose their capacity to filter blood as a result of injury to the glomeruli. If this occurs, people may require emergency dialysis, a synthetic process for eliminating extra fluid and waste from blood that is normally carried out with a machine that mimics a human kidney (dialyzer).

Risk factors

Factors that can increase human risk of nephrotic syndrome include:

Medical conditions that can damage human kidneys: Nephrotic syndrome is more likely to occur in people who have certain illnesses and conditions, such as diabetes, lupus, amyloidosis, reflux nephropathy, and other renal diseases.

Certain medicines: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and medications used to treat infections are among the substances that could lead to nephrotic syndrome.

Certain infections: HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and malaria are among the infections that raise the chance of developing nephrotic syndrome.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of nephrotic syndrome include:

• Significant edoema, especially in the ankles and feet and around the eyes

• Foamy urine from too much protein in the urine

• Fatigue

• Appetite loss