Is nephrotic syndrome prone to recurrence?

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

Updated on September 18, 2024

00:00

00:00

Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by more than 3.5 grams of proteinuria in 24 hours and a serum albumin concentration lower than 30 grams per liter. Treatment of this disease should be aimed at the cause, with most patients suffering from primary nephrotic syndrome related to immune dysfunction, therefore often requiring treatment with steroids. Indeed, some patients easily experience relapses; after a period of steroid treatment, proteinuria may decrease or even turn negative. However, upon cessation of the medication or during occurrences like a cold, some patients may suffer from relapses. Not all patients respond this way, as some are dependent on steroids.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

57sec

home-news-image

Can people with nephrotic syndrome eat strawberries?

Patients with nephrotic syndrome can eat strawberries in moderate amounts. Patients with nephrotic syndrome typically have urinary protein levels exceeding 3.5g in 24 hours, along with noticeable symptoms of edema. It is essential for these patients to control their intake of water, especially those with severe edema, as excessive water intake can further exacerbate the swelling. Additionally, patients should limit their intake of plant proteins, follow a low-salt diet, and avoid heavy consumption of oils and fatty foods. From the above perspectives, it is generally acceptable for patients with nephrotic syndrome to eat strawberries in moderation. Strawberries contain very little plant protein and will not increase urinary protein levels. Although strawberries do not contain much salt, patients with nephrotic syndrome still need to consume them in moderation due to their high water content.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

56sec

home-news-image

Is nephrotic syndrome contagious?

So, nephrotic syndrome is a general term for a group of clinical symptoms, a state of disease, and is not essentially an independent disease. Thus, this problem is not infectious. This disease describes the damage to the kidneys due to some reason, leading to the disruption of the integrity of the glomerular filtration barrier, resulting in the patient developing a significant amount of urinary protein. The disease itself is not contagious. However, there are very few cases of nephrotic syndrome that might be caused by hepatitis B virus infecting the kidneys. In such cases, the hepatitis B virus may have a certain level of contagiousness, but even so, it does not imply that nephrotic syndrome itself is contagious. In other words, even if such patients transmit hepatitis B to others, it does not necessarily mean those others will exhibit kidney damage.

home-news-image

Written by Li Liu Sheng

Nephrology

55sec

home-news-image

How to reduce swelling in the feet caused by nephrotic syndrome?

Swelling of the feet is a common phenomenon in nephrotic syndrome. Once swelling occurs, patients feel uncomfortable symptoms and a sensation of heaviness in their feet, so corresponding de-swelling treatment is necessary. How to reduce swelling? Firstly, a low-salt diet is essential to control salt intake, with daily salt consumption around 2 to 3 grams. In addition to this, small doses of diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide and spironolactone can be used. If the diuretic effect is not satisfactory, other more potent diuretics like furosemide may be added. Of course, the fundamental treatment for foot swelling in nephrotic syndrome involves the use of steroids and immunosuppressants. This treatment works by suppressing the permeability of the glomerular basement membrane and reducing protein leakage, thereby ultimately eliminating the foot swelling.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

50sec

home-news-image

Manifestations of recovery from nephrotic syndrome

In principle, there is no concept of complete recovery for nephrotic syndrome. The condition of nephrotic syndrome can be alleviated and controlled to the greatest extent, but it cannot be completely cured. When the condition is alleviated, the patient's glomerular filtration barrier is repaired, resulting in a reduction in proteinuria and a decrease in urinary foam clinically. Once the patient's urinary protein decreases, the plasma protein concentration will gradually increase. Thus, water moves back from outside to inside the blood vessels, leading to a reduction in edema. These clinical signs all indicate an improvement in the condition of nephrotic syndrome. Of course, to assess the condition, it is still necessary to rely on the patient undergoing a 24-hour quantitative urine protein test.

home-news-image

Written by Zhou Qi

Nephrology

53sec

home-news-image

Causes of edema in nephrotic syndrome

Edema is a diagnostic criterion for nephrotic syndrome, as well as a major clinical symptom and characteristic of the syndrome. There are several reasons why patients develop edema. First, a large amount of protein leaks out from the kidneys, causing a decrease in the concentration of plasma albumin and a decrease in the colloid osmotic pressure in the plasma, which makes it easy for water to move from inside the blood vessels to outside, causing edema. Second, patients with nephrotic syndrome have increased vascular permeability, which also makes it easy for water to enter the interstitial tissues. Among patients with nephrotic syndrome, some are prone to acute renal failure, which further decreases the kidney's ability to excrete water, and these factors together lead to the common occurrence of edema in patients.