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Minimal change disease - Symptom

Alternative Names

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome; Nil disease; Lipoid nephrosis; Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome of childhood

Symptoms:

There may be symptoms of nephrotic syndrome:

Foamy appearance of the urine
Poor appetite
Swelling (especially around the eyes, feet, and ankles, and in the abdomen)
Weight gain (from fluid retention)

Minimal change disease does not reduce the amount of urine produced. It rarely progresses to kidney failure.

Signs and tests:

The doctor may not be able to see any obvious outward signs of the disease, other than swelling. Blood and urine tests reveal signs typical of nephrotic syndrome, including:

High cholesterol
High levels of protein in the urine
Low levels of albumin in the blood

A kidney biopsy and examination of the tissue with an electron microscope can show signs of minimal change disease. An immunofluorescence exam of the biopsied kidney tissue is negative.

Male urinary system

Reviewed last on: 11/12/2007
Charles Silberberg, D.O., Private Practice specializing in Nephrology, Affiliated with NY Medical College, Division of Nephrology, Valhalla, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Brenner BM. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2003.

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