How is the nephrotic syndrome treated?
The first line of therapy is to treat the underlying disease causing the nephrotic syndrome. The various diseases that cause nephrotic syndrome may have specific therapies. For example, diabetic kidney disease requires tight control of blood sugars to prevent further damage to the kidneys and other organs. Patients with minimal change disease usually respond to steroids alone. Lupus kidney disease often requires steroids and/or other immunosuppression drugs. Primary membranous nephropathy and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis may also be treated successfully with steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs. Amyloidosis can respond to chemotherapy and steroids. More information regarding treatment of these diseases can be found at http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov. Management of the nephrotic syndrome also focuses on reducing proteinuria, edema, and high lipid levels. These adjuvant therapies can be used regardless of the cause of the nephrotic syndrome. Nephrologists may treat milder cases o
The treatment will try to stop the loss of protein in the urine, and increase the amount of urine. Usually, the doctor will start your child on a drug called prednisone. Most children get better with this drug. What does prednisone do? Prednisone is used to stop the loss of protein from the blood into the urine. After one to four weeks of treatment, your child should begin going to the bathroom more often. As your child makes more urine, the swelling will go away. When there is no protein in the urine, the doctor will begin to reduce the amount of prednisone over several weeks. The doctor will tell you exactly how much prednisone to give your child each day. Never stop prednisone, unless the doctor tells you to do so. If you stop this drug or give your child too much or too little, he or she may get very ill. Sometimes, your child will stay healthy after treatment. Your child may relapse (get sick again) at any time, even after a long time with good health. Getting sick may happen afte
