Glomerulonephritis

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Kidney anatomy

• Blood in the urine (dark, rust-colored, or brown urine)
• Foamy urine

Chronic renal failure symptoms that may gradually develop include the following:

• Unintentional weight loss
• Nausea , vomiting
• General ill feeling (malaise)
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Frequent hiccups
• Generalized itching
• Decreased urine output
• Need to urinate at night
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Decreased alertness
  • Drowsiness , somnolence , lethargy
  • Confusion , delirium
  • Coma
• Muscle twitching
• Muscle cramps
• Seizures
• Increased skin pigmentation (hyperpigmentation) -- skin may appear yellow or brown
• Decreased sensation in the hands, feet, or other areas

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease:

• Excessive urination
• Nosebleed
• High blood pressure
• Blood in the vomit or in stools

High blood pressure may be present along with abnormal urinalysis   Laboratory tests may reveal anemia or indicate reduced kidney functioning, including azotemia (accumulation of nitrogenous wastes such as creatinine and urea). Later, signs of chronic renal failure may be apparent, including edema (swelling), polyneuropathy, and signs of fluid overload including abnormal heart and lung sounds.

• A urinalysis may show blood, casts  protein, or some other abnormality.
• Findings on kidney or abdominal ultrasound  kidney or abdominal CT scan, or IVP are non-specific.
• A chest x-ray may show fluid overload.
• A kidney biopsy may show one of the forms of chronic glomerulonephritis or non specific scarring of the glomeruli.

• Urine specific gravity
• Urine concentration test
• Uric acid, urine
• Total protein
• Urine RBC
• Urine protein
• Creatinine clearance
• Urine creatinine
• Complement component 3
• Complement
• BUN
• Anti-glomerular basement membrane
• Albumin

Review Date: 09/13/2005
Reviewed By: Robert Mushnick, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, SUNY Downstate Health Center, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.