Glomerulonephritis Dr Rob Hicks The kidneys are packed with mini-filters that continually reabsorb useful substances and remove waste from our blood. If these filters become damaged, it may result in glomerulonephritis and affect the kidney's ability to function.

In this article

What happens? Who's affected?

Symptoms Diagnosis

The kidneys regulate blood pressure, stimulate production of red blood cells and are responsible for filtering the blood to remove anything that's not needed, helping to keep the body's chemistry in balance.

Each of the kidneys contains approximately 1 million miniature filtering units

Each of the kidneys contains approximately 1 million miniature filtering units, called nephrons. Each of these is made up of a glomerulus, a knot of capillaries (tiny blood vessels) that filters the blood, and a long, thin tube called the renal tubule, where useful substances such as glucose are reabsorbed into the blood to be used again.

The total volume of blood in the body passes through the kidneys over 300 times a day. This ensures any waste products and excess water are removed from the body.

When the tiny glomeruli become inflamed, the condition is known as glomerulonephritis. This affects the ability of the kidneys to work properly and effectively.

It's more common in children and young adults. It's also more common in men and can be acute or chronic.

Some infections are occasionally complicated by the development of acute glomerulonephritis

Some infections are occasionally complicated by the development of acute glomerulonephritis, such as bacterial streptococcal throat infection and viral glandular fever. Under these circumstances, the antibodies produced to fight the infection attack the glomeruli, causing them to become inflamed and symptoms to develop quickly.

Chronic glomerulonephritis is often associated with an autoimmune reaction, when the body attacks various parts of itself. In such cases, symptoms appear gradually over time.

The symptoms of glomerulonephritis are similar whether it's acute or chronic. Fluid retention causes swollen feet and legs, as well as puffiness of the face and around the eyes. Urine is passed less frequently and may appear frothy, cloudy or blood-stained.

As the situation worsens, glomerulonephritis may cause shortness of breath, loss of appetite and high blood pressure.

Glomerulonephritis may be discovered when tests are performed to find out, for example, why someone is feeling tired. Since the process of glomerulonephritis can occur before symptoms appear, it may even be found during a routine examination.

Urine and blood tests, specific scans and tests of the kidneys and occasionally a kidney biopsy, may be performed to establish the diagnosis and the severity of the problem. It's only when these are known that appropriate treatment can be chosen.

If the inflammation is only mild, treatment may not be necessary

If the inflammation is only mild, treatment may not be necessary; regular monitoring may be all that's needed. More severe cases may require a combination of antibiotics, corticosteroids and immunosuppressant drugs, depending on the underlying cause. Any accompanying causative condition will also need to be treated if further damage to the kidneys is to be prevented.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks in December 2006.