ClomerulonephrlLls

ClomerulonephrlLls ls also known as glomerular nephrlLls (Cn) or glomerular dlsease lL ls a dlsease of

Lhe kldney characLerlzed by lnflammaLlon of Lhe glomerull Clomerull are very small blood vessels ln Lhe
kldneys LhaL acL as Llny llLLle fllLers Lhere are abouL one mllllon glomerull ln each kldney 1he dlsease
damages Lhe kldneys ablllLy Lo remove wasLe and excess flulds from Lhe body

Cn can be acuLe meanlng Lhere ls a sudden aLLack of lnflammaLlon or chronlc (longLerm and comlng
on gradually)
eople can develop glomerulonephrlLls on lLs own ln whlch case lL ls called prlmary glomerulonephrlLls
lf lL ls caused by anoLher dlsease such as dlabeLes or lupus lnfecLlon or drugs lL ls called secondary
glomerulonephrlLls
slgns and sympLoms of glomerulonephrlLls
A sympLom ls someLhlng Lhe paLlenL feels or reporLs whlle a slgn ls someLhlng oLher people lncludlng
Lhe docLor may deLecL lor example a headache may be a sympLom whlle a rash may be a slgn

Some paLlenLs may noL show any clear sympLoms 1he Lype of slgns and sympLoms wlll usually depend
on wheLher lL ls Lhe acuLe or chronlc form and lLs cause lor some people Lhelr flrsL lndlcaLlon LhaL
someLhlng ls noL rlghL ls when Lhe resulLs of a urlne or blood sample LesL come back
urlne lf Lhe glomerull are damaged Lhere wlll be a small amounL of blood and/or proLeln ln Lhe urlne
whlch may be vlslble or wlll show up ln a urlne LesL

lf sympLoms are more severe Lhe lndlvlduals urlne wlll Lurn vlslbly red someLlmes lL may be Cocacola
colored lf Lhe urlne ls cloudy or froLhy lL means LhaL excess proLeln ls presenL (proLerlnurla)

A healLhy adulL urlnaLes beLween 1 Lo 13 llLers per day eople wlLh severe glomerulonephrlLls may
spend Lwo or Lhree days wlLhouL belng able Lo urlnaLe and when Lhey do Lhere may be blood and/or
proLeln ln Lhe urlne

kldney damage ln Lhe lnlLlal sLage Lhe lnflammaLlon of Lhe kldneys may noL be evldenL SympLoms may
suddenly appear or come on abouL Lhree weeks afLer lnfecLlon aLlenLs wlLh glomerulonephrlLls
caused by kldney damage may have Lhe followlng slgns or sympLoms

An elevaLed body LemperaLure (Lyplcally abouL 38C 1004l)
8reaLhlng dlfflculLles
Ldema (swelllng) especlally ln Lhe hands face feeL ankles or abdomen
Loss of appeLlLe
nausea
allor
vlslon problems
vomlLlng

1he followlng slgns or sympLoms are also posslble

PyperLenslon (hlgh blood pressure)
laLlgue

kldney paln alLhough paln ln Lhe kldneys ls posslble lL ls unusual When paln ls felL lL ls usually ln Lhe
upper back behlnd Lhe rlbs SomeLlmes Lhe paln may be lnLense kldney paln mlghL be a sympLom of
kldney sLones or a kldney lnfecLlon lnsLead of glomerulonephrlLls