Condition Lookup
Category:
Glomerular Diseases
Number of Conditions: 12
Amyloidosis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Symptoms:
proteinuria; swelling in legs and feet; foamy urine; fatigue; unintentional weight loss
Root Cause:
Abnormal deposits of amyloid proteins in the kidneys, disrupting their normal function.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with tissue biopsy (e.g., fat pad, kidney) showing amyloid deposits on Congo red staining.
Treatment:
Treated with underlying disease management, chemotherapy (e.g., bortezomib, cyclophosphamide), or autologous stem cell transplant.
Medications:
For AL (Light Chain) Amyloidosis - Bortezomib (proteasome inhibitor), Cyclophosphamide (chemotherapy agent), Dexamethasone (corticosteroid), Daratumumab (anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody). For ATTR (Transthyretin) Amyloidosis - Tafamidis (transthyretin stabilizer), Patisiran or Inotersen (RNA-based therapies to reduce transthyretin production). For AA (Secondary) Amyloidosis - Anti-inflammatory medications like colchicine for familial Mediterranean fever or IL-1/IL-6 inhibitors for inflammatory conditions.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; AL amyloidosis occurs in approximately 4.5 per 100,000 annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic inflammatory diseases, multiple myeloma, and family history of amyloidosis.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies widely; early treatment improves outcomes. Untreated, amyloidosis can lead to kidney failure and other organ dysfunction.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and multi-organ involvement leading to heart, liver, or nervous system complications.
Diabetic Nephropathy
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Diabetes-Related Kidney Diseases
Symptoms:
proteinuria; swelling in the legs and feet; foamy urine; fatigue; high blood pressure
Root Cause:
Chronic high blood sugar levels leading to damage in the glomeruli of the kidneys.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed via elevated urine albumin and reduced GFR.
Treatment:
Treated with glycemic control, blood pressure management (ACE inhibitors/ARBs), and lifestyle modifications.
Medications:
ACE inhibitors or ARBs for proteinuria and blood pressure, SGLT2 inhibitors (e.g., dapagliflozin ), GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide ), and statins for cardiovascular risk.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects about 20–40% of patients with diabetes.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Poor glycemic control, long duration of diabetes, hypertension, smoking, obesity, and genetic predisposition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive without treatment; may lead to end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis or transplantation.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of infections.
Post-Infectious Glomerulonephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Glomerulonephritis
Symptoms:
hematuria (cola-colored urine); proteinuria; edema (swelling); hypertension; fatigue; decreased urine output
Root Cause:
Immune complex deposition in the glomeruli following a streptococcal or other bacterial infection, leading to inflammation and reduced kidney function.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (proteinuria, hematuria), blood tests (elevated anti-streptolysin O titer, decreased complement levels), kidney biopsy if needed, and clinical history of recent infection.
Treatment:
Supportive care including management of hypertension, edema, and maintaining fluid balance; in severe cases, temporary dialysis.
Medications:
Medications include diuretics (e.g., furosemide ) to reduce fluid retention, antihypertensives (e.g., ACE inhibitors or ARBs) to control blood pressure, and antibiotics if the underlying infection is ongoing.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries, more common in resource-limited settings.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recent bacterial infection (e.g., streptococcal throat or skin infection), overcrowded living conditions, poor hygiene, children and adolescents.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally favorable in children, with spontaneous recovery in most cases; adults may have a slower recovery and higher risk of chronic kidney disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, end-stage renal disease in severe or recurrent cases.
Membranous Nephropathy
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Nephrotic Syndrome
Symptoms:
proteinuria; edema (especially around the eyes and ankles); frothy urine; fatigue; weight gain
Root Cause:
Autoimmune or secondary immune-mediated damage to the glomerular basement membrane, resulting in protein leakage into the urine.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (severe proteinuria), kidney biopsy (thickened glomerular basement membrane), blood tests (anti-PLA2R antibodies for primary membranous nephropathy).
Treatment:
Conservative management initially; immunosuppressive therapy (e.g., corticosteroids or calcineurin inhibitors) for high-risk or persistent cases.
Medications:
Medications include corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) to reduce inflammation, calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., tacrolimus ), and ACE inhibitors or ARBs to reduce proteinuria and control hypertension.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Most common cause of primary nephrotic syndrome in adults, with an estimated incidence of 0.1–1 per 100,000 population annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Autoimmune disorders, infections (e.g., hepatitis B or C), malignancies, certain medications (e.g., NSAIDs), and genetic predisposition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; some patients achieve spontaneous remission, while others progress to chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Thromboembolic events, infections due to nephrotic syndrome, chronic kidney disease.
IgA Nephropathy
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Glomerulonephritis
Symptoms:
hematuria (often following an upper respiratory or gastrointestinal infection); proteinuria; edema; hypertension
Root Cause:
Deposition of IgA immune complexes in the glomeruli, causing inflammation and scarring.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (hematuria, proteinuria), kidney biopsy (IgA deposits in the mesangium), and clinical history.
Treatment:
Blood pressure management, dietary modifications, and in severe cases, immunosuppressive therapy.
Medications:
ACE inhibitors or ARBs for blood pressure and proteinuria; corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) in high-risk cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
The most common primary glomerulonephritis globally, with variable prevalence by region.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic predisposition, male gender, infections, and autoimmune conditions.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Highly variable; some patients experience mild disease, while others progress to end-stage renal disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, nephrotic syndrome, end-stage renal disease.
Minimal Change Disease
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Nephrotic Syndrome
Symptoms:
severe proteinuria; edema (especially around the eyes and lower limbs); frothy urine; weight gain; fatigue
Root Cause:
Podocyte injury in the glomeruli, leading to abnormal filtration and protein leakage; cause often idiopathic or secondary to medications, infections, or malignancies.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (proteinuria), kidney biopsy (normal appearance under light microscopy, effacement of podocyte foot processes on electron microscopy).
Treatment:
Corticosteroids as first-line treatment; immunosuppressants for steroid-resistant cases.
Medications:
Prednisone (first-line), calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine ) or rituximab in resistant cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children; less common in adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Infections, allergies, use of NSAIDs, malignancies (e.g., Hodgkin lymphoma).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent in children with high rates of remission; adults may have higher relapse rates and slower response to treatment.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Thromboembolic events, infections, acute kidney injury.
Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Nephrotic Syndrome
Symptoms:
proteinuria; edema; hypertension; reduced kidney function; hematuria
Root Cause:
Scarring of some glomeruli, often due to genetic, primary idiopathic, or secondary causes such as obesity or drug toxicity.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (proteinuria), kidney biopsy (segmental sclerosis in some glomeruli).
Treatment:
Supportive care with blood pressure and proteinuria control, corticosteroids or immunosuppressants for idiopathic forms.
Medications:
Prednisone , calcineurin inhibitors (e.g., tacrolimus ), and ACE inhibitors or ARBs for supportive care.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
A common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults, particularly in African Americans.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Genetic predisposition, obesity, infections (e.g., HIV), drug use (e.g., heroin).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; some cases respond to treatment, while others progress to chronic kidney disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, thromboembolism.
Crescentic Glomerulonephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Rapidly Progressive Glomerulonephritis (RPGN)
Symptoms:
hematuria; proteinuria; rapidly worsening kidney function; edema; fatigue; hypertension
Root Cause:
Severe glomerular inflammation with crescent formation on biopsy, often due to autoimmune diseases (e.g., Goodpasture syndrome, ANCA-associated vasculitis).
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis (proteinuria, hematuria), kidney biopsy (crescent formation in glomeruli), serologic tests (e.g., ANCA, anti-GBM antibodies).
Treatment:
Aggressive immunosuppressive therapy and plasmapheresis; dialysis in severe cases.
Medications:
High-dose corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone ), cyclophosphamide , rituximab , and plasmapheresis to remove pathogenic antibodies.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare but life-threatening; most common in older adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Autoimmune diseases, infections, certain medications, genetic predisposition.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Poor without prompt treatment; variable outcomes with therapy, ranging from partial recovery to chronic kidney disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
End-stage renal disease, recurrence of disease, severe hypertension.
Lupus Nephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Symptoms:
blood in the urine; foamy urine; swelling in the legs, ankles, or feet; high blood pressure; weight gain due to fluid retention
Root Cause:
Inflammation of the kidneys caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks the kidney tissues.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with kidney biopsy showing immune complex deposition.
Treatment:
Treated with immunosuppressive medications such as corticosteroids, mycophenolate mofetil, or cyclophosphamide, and supportive care (e.g., ACE inhibitors).
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ), immunosuppressants (e.g., mycophenolate mofetil, cyclophosphamide , azathioprine ), and biologics like belimumab . ACE inhibitors or ARBs for blood pressure and proteinuria control.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Occurs in approximately 40–50% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, more common in women and certain ethnic groups (e.g., African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians).
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, genetic predisposition, being female, and certain ethnic backgrounds.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies based on severity; early diagnosis and aggressive treatment improve outcomes. Advanced cases may lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of infections due to immunosuppressive therapy.
Goodpasture Syndrome (Anti-GBM Disease)
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Symptoms:
hemoptysis (coughing up blood); blood in the urine; foamy urine; shortness of breath; fatigue
Root Cause:
Autoimmune disorder in which antibodies attack the glomerular and alveolar basement membranes.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with anti-GBM antibodies and kidney biopsy.
Treatment:
Treated with plasmapheresis, corticosteroids, and cyclophosphamide.
Medications:
Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ), immunosuppressants (e.g., cyclophosphamide ).
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; estimated at 1 case per million annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, exposure to hydrocarbons, and certain genetic predispositions (e.g., HLA-DR15).
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment can improve outcomes. Without treatment, can lead to kidney failure and respiratory failure.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and permanent lung damage.
Membranoproliferative Glomerulonephritis (MPGN)
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Immune-Mediated Glomerulopathies
Symptoms:
blood in the urine; foamy urine; swelling in legs and feet; fatigue; hypertension
Root Cause:
Immune-mediated damage to the glomerular capillaries, often associated with immune complex deposition or complement dysregulation.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed through kidney biopsy showing mesangial and capillary changes.
Treatment:
Treated with corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, or treatment of underlying causes (e.g., infections).
Medications:
Corticosteroids, immunosuppressants (e.g., mycophenolate mofetil, rituximab ), and antiplatelet agents in some cases.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; incidence is approximately 1 case per million annually.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic infections (e.g., hepatitis C), autoimmune diseases, and complement dysregulation disorders.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Progressive; outcomes depend on the severity and response to treatment. May lead to chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and increased risk of cardiovascular events.
Cryoglobulinemic Glomerulonephritis
Specialty: Nephrology
Category: Glomerular Diseases
Sub-category: Vasculitis-Associated Glomerulonephritis
Symptoms:
blood in the urine; foamy urine; swelling in legs and feet; fatigue; purpura (skin rash)
Root Cause:
Immune complex deposition in the kidneys caused by cryoglobulins, proteins that precipitate at low temperatures.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with kidney biopsy and detection of cryoglobulins in blood.
Treatment:
Treated with antiviral therapy for hepatitis C, corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and rituximab for severe cases.
Medications:
Antiviral therapy for hepatitis C (e.g., direct-acting antivirals), corticosteroids, and rituximab .
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare; often associated with chronic hepatitis C.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic hepatitis C infection, autoimmune diseases, and lymphoproliferative disorders.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; treatment of underlying causes improves outcomes. Without treatment, may lead to chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, and systemic vasculitis affecting other organs.