Nephritis

Clinical Nutrition
Lesson 29: Renal disease

Nephritis

Nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys. It can be either acute or chronic and is a serious condition. It may be caused by a bacterial infection of the kidneys (pyelonephritis) or exposure to a toxin. However, it more commonly develops from an abnormal immune reaction, which can occur in two ways:

  1. An antibody can attack either the kidney itself or a substance that stimulates an immune reaction (antigen) attached to kidney cells, or
  2. An antigen and antibody can combine somewhere else in the body, forming an immune complex, and then attach to cells in the kidney.

Some types of nephritis involve infiltration of kidney tissues by white blood cells and deposits of antibodies. In other types of nephritis, inflammation may consist of tissue swelling or scarring without white blood cells or antibodies. Nephritis can occur anywhere in the kidneys. It can cause death if not treated in initial stages. It often strikes during childhood or adolescence.

In rare cases nephritis can be genetically inherited, though it may not present in childhood.

Nephritis is a serious medical condition which is the ninth highest cause of human death. As the kidneys inflame, they begin to excrete needed protein from the body into the urine stream. This condition is called proteinuria. Loss of necessary protein due to nephritis can result in several life-threatening symptoms. Most dangerous in cases of nephritis is the loss of protein that keeps blood from clotting. This can result in blood clots causing sudden stroke.

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Last modified: Saturday, 5 November 2011, 3:08 PM