Glomerulonephritis

Your kidneys are like tiny cleaning plants for your blood. They filter out waste and extra water. This filtering happens in tiny units called nephrons. Each nephron has a special filter, a clump of tiny blood vessels called a glomerulus. When blood flows through the glomerulus, small substances like water, minerals, and nutrients, and waste products, pass through the thin walls of the blood vessels. Larger substances, like proteins and red blood cells, stay behind.

The filtered material then moves into another part of the nephron called a tubule. Your body reabsorbs the water, nutrients, and minerals it needs back into the bloodstream. The extra water and waste are left behind to form urine, which travels to your bladder.

Glomerulonephritis is a condition where the glomeruli (the filtering parts of the kidneys) become inflamed. This inflammation can disrupt the normal filtering process. The excess fluid and waste that are normally removed from the blood and excreted as urine can build up in the body.

This inflammation can develop suddenly (acute glomerulonephritis) or gradually over time (chronic glomerulonephritis). Sometimes, glomerulonephritis is a symptom of another health problem like lupus or diabetes.

If the inflammation is severe or lasts a long time, it can damage the kidneys. Treatment for glomerulonephritis depends on the specific cause and type of inflammation.

Glomerulonephritis can cause different symptoms, depending on whether it's a sudden (acute) or long-lasting (chronic) problem, and what's causing it. Sometimes, chronic glomerulonephritis has no noticeable symptoms at first. In these cases, a routine urine test (urinalysis) might be the first clue something is wrong.

Common signs and symptoms of glomerulonephritis include:

• Changes in urine color: Your urine might look pink, red, or a brownish-red color (like cola) because of blood in your urine. This is called hematuria.
• Foamy or bubbly urine: This can happen if there's too much protein in your urine. This is called proteinuria. Protein is normally filtered out by the kidneys, but when the glomeruli are damaged, protein can leak into the urine.
• High blood pressure (hypertension): Damaged kidneys can't regulate blood pressure effectively, leading to higher-than-normal readings.
• Swelling (edema): Extra fluid can build up in your body, causing swelling in your face, hands, feet, and belly. This is because your kidneys aren't removing enough fluid.
• Decreased urination: Your kidneys might not be working as well, leading to producing less urine than usual.
• Other symptoms: You might also experience nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, and feeling very tired (fatigue).

If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, it's important to see a doctor right away. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing glomerulonephritis and preventing further kidney damage.

If you notice any signs or symptoms that might be related to glomerulonephritis, it's important to see your doctor right away. Glomerulonephritis is a condition that affects the tiny filters in your kidneys. Symptoms can include swelling in your face, hands, or feet, blood in your urine, or changes in how much you urinate. Don't delay; early diagnosis and treatment are key to managing this condition effectively. Contact your healthcare provider to schedule an appointment.

Glomerulonephritis: Understanding Kidney Inflammation

Glomerulonephritis is a condition where the tiny filters in your kidneys (glomeruli) become inflamed. This inflammation can disrupt the kidneys' ability to function properly. The causes of glomerulonephritis are varied, sometimes linked to family history, and sometimes unknown. Here are some factors that can trigger this inflammation:

Infections:

• Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis: This is a common cause, usually occurring a week or two after a strep throat infection (or rarely, a skin infection like impetigo). Your immune system mistakenly attacks the strep bacteria, and the resulting antibodies can build up in the glomeruli, causing inflammation. Children are more likely to get this and often recover quickly.
• Bacterial endocarditis: This is a bacterial infection of the heart's inner lining. Whether the kidney inflammation is directly caused by the infection or an immune response is not always clear.
• Viral kidney infections: Infections like hepatitis B and C can damage the glomeruli and other kidney tissues.
• HIV: HIV infection can damage the kidneys, even before the onset of AIDS, leading to long-term kidney problems.

Autoimmune Diseases:

• Lupus: Lupus is a chronic disease where the immune system attacks healthy tissues throughout the body, including the kidneys.
• Goodpasture's syndrome (anti-GBM disease): In this rare condition, the immune system mistakenly produces antibodies that attack the tissues of the lungs and kidneys, potentially causing permanent kidney damage.
• IgA nephropathy: This happens when a type of antibody (IgA) builds up in the glomeruli. The inflammation can be present for a long time without obvious symptoms, often first noticed by blood in the urine.

Blood Vessel Inflammation (Vasculitis):

• Polyarteritis: This type of inflammation affects medium and small blood vessels throughout the body, including the kidneys.
• Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly Wegener's granulomatosis): This vasculitis primarily targets small and medium blood vessels in the lungs, upper airways, and kidneys.

Other Causes:

• High blood pressure: Uncontrolled high blood pressure over time can damage the glomeruli, leading to inflammation and scarring. This can make it difficult for the kidneys to regulate blood pressure.
• Diabetic kidney disease (diabetic nephropathy): High blood sugar levels can damage the glomeruli and increase blood flow through the kidney's filtering units, potentially leading to kidney damage.
• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis: In this condition, some of the glomeruli become scarred. This can be related to other diseases or occur for no apparent reason.
• Genetic factors: Sometimes, glomerulonephritis runs in families. Alport syndrome is one such inherited condition that can also affect hearing and vision.
• Cancer: Certain cancers, like gastric cancer, lung cancer, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, have been linked to glomerulonephritis.

It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list, and the specific cause of glomerulonephritis can be complex and difficult to determine. If you have concerns about kidney health, it's crucial to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Certain conditions where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues can be connected to glomerulonephritis. This is a problem with the tiny filtering units in the kidneys (glomeruli). When these units are damaged, the kidneys can't work as well, potentially leading to kidney problems.

Glomerulonephritis is a condition that harms the tiny filters in your kidneys (called nephrons). These filters normally remove waste and extra fluids from your blood. When they don't work properly, waste builds up in your blood, and your body can't control the right levels of important minerals and nutrients. This can also lead to your body losing red blood cells and proteins.

Problems from Glomerulonephritis can include:

• Acute Kidney Failure: This is a sudden and serious decline in kidney function. It often happens quickly, sometimes because of an infection that triggers the glomerulonephritis. The buildup of waste and extra fluids in your body can be very dangerous if not treated right away, usually with a special machine called a dialysis machine that filters your blood. Often, the kidneys will return to normal after the condition improves.

• Chronic Kidney Disease: If the inflammation continues for a long time, the kidneys get damaged and don't work as well. This is considered chronic kidney disease if the damage or reduced function lasts for three months or longer. Chronic kidney disease can get worse and lead to end-stage kidney disease. If it gets to this stage, you'll need either dialysis or a kidney transplant.

• High Blood Pressure: The inflammation and scarring in the kidney filters can cause your blood pressure to go up.

• Nephrotic Syndrome: This is a problem where your kidneys let too much protein leak into your urine, and not enough stays in your blood. Proteins are important for keeping your fluids balanced and regulating cholesterol. When there's not enough protein in your blood, your cholesterol levels can go up, your blood pressure can rise, and you might get swelling (edema) in your face, hands, feet, and belly. In rare cases, this can cause a blood clot in a blood vessel in your kidney.

It's important to remember that these are potential complications. Not everyone with glomerulonephritis will experience all of them. If you have concerns about your kidneys, it's essential to talk to a doctor.

Glomerulonephritis, a kidney condition, can sometimes be unavoidable. While there's no guaranteed way to prevent all types, there are steps you can take to lower your risk.

First, if you have a sore throat or skin infection like impetigo, get treatment right away. Strep throat is a common cause of some types of glomerulonephritis. Early treatment helps stop the infection from spreading and potentially damaging your kidneys.

Second, to avoid infections that can sometimes lead to glomerulonephritis, like HIV and hepatitis, practice safe sex and avoid injecting drugs. These infections can cause a lot of health problems, including kidney damage. Using clean needles and practicing safe sex are crucial in preventing these infections.

Finally, maintaining good blood sugar control is important. High blood sugar can lead to diabetic nephropathy, a type of kidney damage. If you have diabetes, working closely with your doctor to manage your blood sugar levels can help protect your kidneys.

A kidney biopsy is a medical procedure where a healthcare professional takes a tiny piece of kidney tissue to examine under a microscope. They use a needle to carefully remove the tissue sample, often guided by an imaging device like an ultrasound. This helps doctors understand what's happening inside the kidney.

Doctors might suspect glomerulonephritis (a kidney inflammation) if you're experiencing an illness or during routine checkups, especially if you have a chronic condition like diabetes. To diagnose glomerulonephritis and assess kidney function, several tests are used:

• Urine Test (Urinalysis): A urine sample is checked for signs of kidney problems. Healthy urine doesn't contain red blood cells, large amounts of protein, or white blood cells (which indicate inflammation). The levels of waste products in the urine are also important. If these levels are abnormal, it could suggest kidney issues.

• Blood Tests: Blood samples are checked for unusual levels of waste products that might build up if the kidneys aren't working correctly. These tests can also detect antibodies that may indicate an autoimmune disease, bacterial or viral infections, or high blood sugar levels, which could be linked to diabetes.

• Imaging Tests: If there's a reason to suspect kidney problems, doctors might order imaging tests like X-rays, ultrasounds, or CT scans. These tests can help visualize the kidneys and look for any unusual size, shape, or other abnormalities.

• Kidney Biopsy: A kidney biopsy is a more involved procedure where a small piece of kidney tissue is removed. This is done with a specialized needle, often guided by imaging. A biopsy is essential to confirm a diagnosis and to understand the extent and type of any kidney damage. It allows doctors to see the kidney tissue up close under a microscope. This gives them a clearer picture of the damage and helps determine the best treatment plan.