Glomerulonephritis Flashcards
Glomerulonephritis?
Glomerular inflammation
Name 1 form of glomerulonephritis.
Acute post-infectious (proliferative) glomerulonephritis
Which bacteria is acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis typically due to?
Beta hemolytic streptococcus (bacteria that lysis erythrocytes)
What occurs in adults if they have acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis?
If developed in adults ~1/3 of them will develop renal failure
What kind of hypersensitivity occurs in post infectious glomerulonephritis + briefly explain?
Type 3 hypersensitivity - ab-ag complex is deposited in the glomerular capillaries (endothelium)
Explain acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis
- Common type
- usually in children (95% recovery) but not restricted
- Type 3 hypersensitivity
- proceeded by prior pharyngeal or dermal infection (7-12 days) [infection is taken care of, but then 1-2 weeks later the immune complexes still exist in the circulation]
- Ab-Ag complex attaches to walls of the capillaries -> glomerular filtration is impeded
What does impeded glomerular filtration mean and what can it cause?
decrease GFR and can cause acute nephritic syndrome
Characteristics of glomerulonephritis?
- glomerular enlargement
- hypercellularity (increase in leukocytes, mesangial and endothelial cells)
Mesangial cells?
specialized cells that cover 30% of glomerular capillaries. They are similar to smooth muscle in their ability to contract, which simultaneously contracts the basement membrane of the endothelium of glomerular capillaries -> decreases SA of basement membrane -> decreases GFR
Manifestations of glomerulonephritis?
- Hematuria
- Oliguria
- Proteinuria
- Azotemia
- Fluid retention -> edema & HTN
Dx of GN?
- urinalysis
- renal function tests
- imaging
Treatment of GN?
takes several weeks and is usually self-limiting.
- Infection must be treated
- symptomatic management
- immunosuppressive therapy
