Patient's question:
My baby is 8 months old and has been diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. Currently, he is taking hormones, and his protein in urine has turned negative. His weight is 13 kilograms, and he takes 3 hormone tablets per day. Is the dosage too high? How much should he be taking?Doctor's answer:
Hello, nephrotic syndrome is a clinical syndrome caused by a group of multiple causes, including chronic glomerulonephritis, characterized by massive proteinuria, severe edema, hypoproteinemia, and hyperlipidemia. It is a syndrome caused by the increased permeability of the glomerular filtration membrane, leading to the loss of a large amount of plasma protein in the urine. The current etiology is unclear. In mild cases without renal function damage or with mild renal function damage, dietary restrictions are not necessary. This is mainly due to long-term dietary control, which can cause a negative nitrogen balance in the body and reduce its resistance. Therefore, asymptomatic proteinuria or hematuria patients with little protein loss can be provided with a general diet, with only a slight restriction on salt intake. However, if there is a significant loss of urinary protein or low plasma protein but normal serum creatinine and urea nitrogen, the protein intake in the diet can be appropriately increased. But according to the latest views, a long-term high-protein diet is not beneficial for the alleviation of chronic glomerulonephritis. It will increase the burden on the kidneys and accelerate the deterioration of renal function. Currently, there is no specific drug for the treatment of this disease. The main treatment methods include hormones, immunosuppressants, anticoagulants, lipid-lowering drugs, and some traditional Chinese medicine preparations.