What is Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome?

Some diseases are commonly encountered in our daily lives, while others may be less familiar or even unheard of. Renal disease, a well-known condition, poses significant harm to the body. Among the various types of renal disease, minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is one of them. When affected by MCNS, individuals may experience edema, proteinuria, and potentially develop hyperlipidemia or hypertension. It is crucial to actively seek treatment for MCNS.

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is a pathological type of glomerulonephritis. Its typical pathological manifestation is basically normal under light microscopy, with negative immunopathology. It is only manifested as extensive fusion of the podocyte foot processes in the glomerular visceral layer epithelium under electron microscopy, which may also be accompanied by fatty degeneration of tubular epithelial cells. MCNS is most commonly seen in children, with a higher incidence in males than in females. Although the incidence is lower in adults, it is more common in elderly patients compared to middle-aged and young patients. Clinically, it often presents as nephrotic syndrome, and hormone treatment is effective for MCNS, with approximately 90% of patients achieving clinical remission with hormone therapy alone. Additionally, a small proportion of patients may experience spontaneous remission within several months or years without medication, but MCNS is also prone to recurrence with a recurrence rate as high as 60%.

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is a pathological diagnosis and a pathological type within nephrotic syndrome. Its characteristic is the presence of nearly normal glomeruli under light microscopy and fluorescence microscopy, but extensive fusion of glomerular podocytes can be observed under electron microscopy. Clinically, it manifests as massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia, and edema. The primary treatment for MCNS involves the use of hormones, as this type is very sensitive to hormone therapy. Complete remission is often achieved within approximately four weeks of initiating drug treatment, allowing for a gradual reduction in hormone usage. During this period, it is crucial to monitor and prevent complications such as thrombosis, infection, and pre-renal renal insufficiency. If patients have concomitant diseases such as hypertension or diabetes, antihypertensive and hypoglycemic medications can be prescribed, which also provide a certain degree of renal protection.

Minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is a type of nephrotic syndrome, and its clinical manifestations are primarily those associated with nephrotic syndrome, including massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, edema, and lipid metabolism disorders. Clinically, patients with MCNS often present with edema, manifesting as swelling in the face or lower extremities. Laboratory examination reveals urine albumin levels exceeding 3.5g and albumin levels below 30g/L. It is worth noting that there are various causes of edema in clinical practice. For instance, edema in nephrotic syndrome is most commonly seen in the lower extremities, while edema in nephritis is more prevalent in the eyelids. Other causes include hepatic edema, cardiac edema, pulmonary edema, and edema due to hypothyroidism. Definitive diagnosis can be made through renal biopsy and histopathological examination.