Nephrotic Syndrome Flashcards
What is nephrotic syndrome?
Nephrotic syndrome is defined as the presence of proteinuria, hypoalbuminaemia, and peripheral oedema.
V. Rare
To have nephrotic syndrome the patient must have what symptoms
- Hypogammaglobulinemia
- proteinuria
- hypoalbunameia
- Hyperlipidemia
- Hypercoagubility
Proteinuria would present as
frothy urine
Cause of nephrotic syndrome
Due to direct sclerosis of podocytes on the glomerulus
Primary aetiology of Nephrotic syndrome
- Minimal change disease
- Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis
- Membranous nephropathy
- membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis
Secondary aetiology of NS
- Diabetes
- Amyloidosis
- Infections (Hep B+ C)
- Drugs, NSAIDs
Pathophysiology of NS
- glomeruli are damaged and become more permeable
- plasma proteins pass through
- leads to proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia
Why is there peripheral + preorbital edema in NS?
there’s less oncotic pressure in the blood vessels so the fluid leaks out due to hypoalbuminemia
Why would a nephrotic patient present with a hypercoaguble state?
patient is also losing antithrombin III proteins which is the body’s anticoagulant.
This means that individuals with nephrotic syndrome are prone to thrombotic and thromboembolic complications
What is else is lost in urine in NS?
Immunoglobulins - higher risk of infection
Lipids - urine looks frothy - compensation liver increases lipoprotein synthesis resulting in hyperlipidaemia
Key presentations of NS
proteinuria, hypoalbuminaemia, oedema
S + S of NS
HT
Proteinura
Frothy urine
Recurrent infections
What is minimal change disease
Most common form of nephrotic syndrome characterised by heavy proteinuria, odema, hypoalbuminaemia and hyperlipidaemia affecting children
Investigations for NS
Urinalysis
ACR
24hr urine protein
U&Es
LFTS
Lipid profile
Complications of Nephrotic syndrome
CVD - hypercholesterolemia + hypertriglyceridemia, CKD
Haem - thrombosis
Infection