Glomerulonephritis

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Kidney anatomy

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Glomerulonephritis

Symptoms:

blood in the urine
dark, rusty or brown colored urine
foamy urine

Chronic renal failure symptoms that gradually develop:

unintentional weight loss
nausea, vomiting
general ill feeling
fatigue
headache
frequent hiccups
generalized itching (pruritus)
decreased urine output
need to urinate at night
easy bruising or bleeding
- may have blood in the vomit or in stools
decreased alertness
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:

Signs and tests:

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, 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.

This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:

Review Date: 12/1/2001
Reviewed By: Andrew Koren, M.D., Department of Nephrology, NYU-Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2003 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.