Nephrotic Syndrome

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Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is not a disease in itself; rather, it is a group of kidney-related findings in your child’s body that indicate damaged glomeruli (kidney’s filter) resulting in too much release of protein from the blood into the urine. This leads to edema (swelling), high cholesterol levels, high levels of protein in urine (proteinuria) and low levels of protein in blood (hypoalbuminemia). Nephrotic syndrome can be categorized into two subtypes, which further divide into various diseases and circumstances that damage the glomeruli. These include:

• Primary or idiopathic NS that occur for unknown reasons. These include:

• ​Minimal change disease which is the most common cause of NS in children, resulting in abnormal kidney function. It is categorized by the appearance of damaged kidney tissues under the microscope, which appears to be almost normal or show no change

• Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis which is characterized by scarring that is scattered across the glomeruli

• Membranous nephropathy which is a kidney disorder resulting in the thickening of the membrane within the glomeruli

• Secondary NS that is caused by another medical disorder or treatment for another disease. These include:

• ​Diabetes

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (an autoimmune disease which causes your child’s immune system to attack the kidneys, particularly the glomeruli)

• Hepatitis B and hepatitis C

• Medications such as corticosteroids

• Blood clot in kidney veins

• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)

Nephrotic syndrome can increase your child’s risk of infection and blood clots. It always affects both kidneys and usually appears in the early years of your child’s life. Most children with this disorder outgrow it by young adulthood. ​​

​​The information provided on our website is for educational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should always seek the advice of your doctor or other healthcare professional provider.