Question: What is (are) Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: Nephrotic syndrome is a collection of symptoms that indicate kidney damage. Nephrotic syndrome includes the following: - proteinurialarge amounts of protein in the urine - hyperlipidemiahigher than normal fat and cholesterol levels in the blood - edema, or swelling, usually in the legs, feet, or ankles and less often in the hands or face - hypoalbuminialow levels of albumin in the blood Albumin is a protein that acts like a sponge, drawing extra fluid from the body into the bloodstream where it remains until removed by the kidneys. When albumin leaks into the urine, the blood loses its capacity to absorb extra fluid from the body, causing edema. Nephrotic syndrome results from a problem with the kidneys filters, called glomeruli. Glomeruli are tiny blood vessels in the kidneys that remove wastes and excess fluids from the blood and send them to the bladder as urine. As blood passes through healthy kidneys, the glomeruli filter out the waste products and allow the blood to retain cells and proteins the body needs. However, proteins from the blood, such as albumin, can leak into the urine when the glomeruli are damaged. In nephrotic syndrome, damaged glomeruli allow 3 grams or more of protein to leak into the urine when measured over a 24-hour period, which is more than 20 times the amount that healthy glomeruli allow.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: In addition to proteinuria, hyperlipidemia, edema, and hypoalbumina, people with nephrotic syndrome may experience - weight gain - fatigue - foamy urine - loss of appetite
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the complications of Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: The loss of different proteins from the body can lead to a variety of complications in people with nephrotic syndrome. Blood clots can form when proteins that normally prevent them are lost through the urine. Blood clots can block the flow of blood and oxygen through a blood vessel. Loss of immunoglobulinsimmune system proteins that help fight disease and infectionleads to an increased risk of infections. These infections include pneumonia, a lung infection; cellulitis, a skin infection; peritonitis, an abdominal infection; and meningitis, a brain and spine infection. Medications given to treat nephrotic syndrome can also increase the risk of these infections. Other complications of nephrotic syndrome include - hypothyroidisma condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone to meet the bodys needs - anemiaa condition in which red blood cells are fewer or smaller than normal, which means less oxygen is carried to the bodys cells - coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart diseaseheart disease caused by narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart - high blood pressure, also called hypertensiona condition in which blood flows through the blood vessels with a force greater than normal - acute kidney injurysudden and temporary loss of kidney function
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to diagnose Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: Urine samples are taken to diagnose people suspected of having nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome is diagnosed when large amounts of protein are found in the urine. The blood protein albumin makes up much of the protein that is lost, though many other important proteins are also lost in nephrotic syndrome. The presence of albumin in the urine can be detected with a dipstick test performed on a urine sample. The urine sample is collected in a special container in a health care providers office or commercial facility and can be tested in the same location or sent to a lab for analysis. For the test, a nurse or technician places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. Patches on the dipstick change color when protein is present in urine. A more precise measurement is usually needed to confirm the diagnosis. Either a single urine sample or a 24-hour collection of urine can be sent to a lab for analysis. With the single urine sample, the lab measures both albumin and creatinine, a waste product of normal muscle breakdown. The comparison of the measurements is called a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio. A urine sample containing more than 30 milligrams of albumin for each gram of creatinine may signal a problem. With a 24-hour collection of urine, the lab measures only the amount of albumin present. The single urine sample is easier to collect than the 24-hour sample and is usually sufficient to confirm diagnosis, though the 24-hour collection may be used in some cases. Once nephrotic syndrome is diagnosed, blood tests are usually needed to check for systemic diseases that may be causing the nephrotic syndrome and to find out how well the kidneys are working overall. A blood test involves drawing blood at a health care providers office or commercial facility and sending the sample to a lab for analysis. Though blood tests can point toward systemic diseases, a kidney biopsy is usually needed to diagnose the specific underlying disease causing the nephrotic syndrome and to determine the best treatment. A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a piece of kidney tissue for examination with a microscope. Kidney biopsies are performed by a health care provider in a hospital with light sedation and local anesthetic. A biopsy is often not needed for a person with diabetes because the persons medical history and lab tests may be enough to diagnose the problem as being a result of diabetes.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the treatments for Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: Treating nephrotic syndrome includes addressing the underlying cause as well as taking steps to reduce high blood pressure, edema, high cholesterol, and the risks of infection. Treatment usually includes medications and changes in diet. Medications that lower blood pressure can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease causing nephrotic syndrome. Two types of blood pressure lowering medications, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), have proven effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease by reducing the pressure inside the glomeruli and thereby reducing proteinuria. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. In addition to an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, a diuretica medication that aids the kidneys in removing fluid from the bloodcan also be useful in helping to reduce blood pressure as well as edema. Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications may also be needed. Statin medications may be given to lower cholesterol. People with nephrotic syndrome should receive the pneumococcal vaccine, which helps protect against a bacterium that commonly causes infection, and yearly flu shots. Blood thinning medications are usually only given to people with nephrotic syndrome who develop a blood clot; these medications are not used as a preventive measure. Nephrotic syndrome may go away once the underlying cause has been treated. More information about treating the underlying causes of nephrotic syndrome is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Glomerular Diseases.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for Nephrotic Syndrome in Adults ?
Answer: Eating, diet, and nutrition have not been shown to play a role in causing or preventing nephrotic syndrome in adults. For people who have developed nephrotic syndrome, limiting intake of dietary sodium, often from salt, and fluid may be recommended to help reduce edema. A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may also be recommended to help control hyperlipidemia.
Source: NIDDK