Posts Tagged ‘acute glomerulonephritis’

What is Acute Nephritis?

Acute nephritis involved the kidney structure. It is also referred to as acute glomerulonephritis. Often a seemingly simple infection of the throat or skin may take place. This may be due to a special germ called the streptococcus, and this one is a real troublemaker.

It may take a couple of weeks or more before the kidney symptoms set in, and by then the original infection has most probably totally vanished. It is not even a memory. But the child may feel vaguely ill. There may be blood in the urine, and smaller than normal amounts may be passed. As the child retains fluid, there may be weight gain, headaches, abdominal upsets and a fever.

The condition may gradually or rapidly deteriorate. The blood pressure may increase, and occasionally this has an adverse effect on the brain. There may be mental impairment, vagueness; the patient may be restless, have disturbances of vision, probably convulse and slip into a coma. Fortunately these advanced forms are fairly uncommon, but they are possibilities that parents should be aware of. In due course, these may lead to serious heart and kidney impairment.

Acute Nephritis Treatment

The important feature is for parents to be alert to the possibilities, the risks and the dangers. Blood in the urine is always an ominous sign, and needs prompt investigation. Do not try to self medicate. Take the child to the doctor’s as a matter of urgency (plus a bottle of fresh urine). Proper investigation and expert treatment as soon as possible will yield the best results.

Sometimes the acute attack will lead on to progressive nephritis, which is also referred to as chronic glomerulonephritis. In this condition the kidneys are seriously damaged and the filtering mechanism is destroyed to the point where blood and protein (or albumen) arc allowed through the straining system. Normally this does not occur and invariably indicates serious damage. Not all cases emanate from acute bouts, for some arrive simply out of the blue.

In the early stages there may be few symptoms. But often vague ill health, fatigue and tiring easily, vomiting, headaches, twitchy movements may take place. There may be mental confusion and disorientation. When examined by the doctor, there may be increased blood pressure, perhaps protein in the urine and probably a swelling of the lower limbs commonly referred to as oedema. Specific tests will show a lot of blood and protein in the urine. This may be a as to the severity of the disease.

Once more there is no place for simple, do-it-yourself forms of treatment. The gild may be admitted to a large hospital quipped to investigate and treat cases such as this. It is essential for expert medical care and nursing to be available. Recovery may be a long-drawn-out process. I hope that parents may be alerted by our words to the dangers of abnormal disorders of the urinary system. Only rapid detection and appropriate action mill achieve good results.

Acute glomerulonephritis is an acute renal disease coming on suddenly, often affecting children starting about 10 days after a throat infection. The majority make a quick recovery, but it may lead to death in some severe cases.

Acute Glomerulonephritis Symptoms

The disease is most common in children and adolescents, but may occur at any age. Scarlet fever (rare these days) or a “strep sore throat” are the common precipitating factors.

Sometimes there may be a chill or a cold. Generally the onset is rapid, with oedema blood in the urine and mildly elevated blood pressure. Sometimes it may come on gradually, with complaints of feeling off-colour, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, a headache and sometimes diarrhoea occurring before the onset of the renal symptoms. There may be respiratory symptoms and breathing difficulties in some. A high fever is not the rule, but temperature may be slightly elevated.

The urine is usually scanty, and it obviously contains a considerable amount of blood. Alternatively it might be bright red or merely “smoky.” When tested, the urine is always loaded with protein (or albumen, a type of protein that can be readily checked by simple tests). A few days later this may be followed by a sudden urinary output. This is a good sign, indicating the oedema may be reducing.

Any child or adolescent with symptoms of this nature must receive prompt medical attention. The doctor will carry out a few routine tests indicating the general nature of the disorder. At this stage the doctor will probably order further tests, or refer the patient to a specialist better versed in these fairly complex disorders, or to a hospital where full facilities for adequate investigation and therapy are available. On no account should the parent neglect symptoms of this nature, or try old-fashioned and foolish home remedies.

Expert medical advice is essential, for in some cases, serious consequences may occur.

Acute Glomerulonephritis Treatment

Treatment will be usually carried out in hospital. Bed rest is usually ordered in the early stages. Blood pressure and “fluid balance” records are kept. This is a chart indicating the fluid taken in and the fluid output over each 24-hour period. Appropriate medical tests and proper investigations will be started.

Often a low-protein, low-salt, high carbohydrate food intake is given. Bed rest is continued until the oedema is reduced, the blood in the urine has cleared up and the urine is free from protein. This may take several weeks. Any infection present will be treated with antibiotics. This is merely a brief outline of the probable line of treatment. Under the supervision of a specialist nephrologist, a line to suit the individual patient’s circumstances will, of course, take place.

With adequate therapy, the outlook for most patients is usually good, with about 80 – 90 per cent of patients recovering completely. Second attacks are considered to he unusual.