Nephritis
Inflammatory diseases of the kidney are called nephritis. Causes of nephritis are divided into two:
1. Non- microbial Nephritis: Non-microbial inflammatory diseases of the kidney are divided into two:
Glomerulonephritis
Tubular nephritis (Tubulointerstitial nephritis)
2. Microbial nephritis (Pyelonephritis) Pyelonephritis is also called as upper urinary tract infection.
Symptoms and Findings
One of common causes of chronic renal failure in Turkey is glomerulonephritis. Signs and symptoms vary by the type of glomerulonephritis. It's usually very easy to diagnose glomerulonephritis by examination of the patient, a blood urea and creatinine test and basic urianalysis. On examination, the findings of glomulonephritis are swelling of the hands, feet and eyelids, darkening of the urine color (urine may have the color of tea) and high blood pressure. Bleeding and protein loss in urinalysis are findings in favor of glomerulonephritis. The main difficulty in the diagnosis of glomerulonephritis is identification of the disease causing glomerulonephritis. The cause of glomerulonephritis is usually not detectable. To understand the type of glomerulonephritis, a kidney biopsy (removal of a piece of the kidney for microscopic examination) should be performed.Glomerulonephritis
The patient may have no symptoms or advanced renal failure. In practice, glomerulonephritis manifests itself in 5 ways:Abnormal results in urinalysis: There are no signs and symptoms in the patient. A patient who consults a doctor for another reason has an urinalysis, which reveals bleeding or protein loss.
Nephrotic syndrome: There is more than 3-3.5 grams of protein loss by voiding daily. There are swellings on the hands, feet, face and other parts of the patient that leave trace when pressed. In addition, the level of albumin in the blood drops, cholesterol level increases.
Sudden-onset glomerulonephritis: The main problems in these patients are bleeding in the urine, high blood pressure and accumulation of fluid in the body. Most types of nephritis developing after streptococcal infections in children are included in this group.
Chronic glomerulonephritis: These patients have bleeding in the urine, protein loss, high blood pressure and swelling, the disease is long lasting.
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: Kidney failure develops in a short time and the patient needs dialysis treatment.