Patient's question:
Our family is a true farming family. My father is very hardworking, and my mother has always had poor health. Usually, all the physical labor at home is done by my father alone, which has been very exhausting over the years. Recently, my father has frequently felt unwell and has been lacking strength in his waist. After a thorough medical examination at the hospital, the result was that he has nephrotic syndrome. What does nephrotic syndrome mean?Doctor's answer:
Nephrotic syndrome is primarily caused by increased permeability of the glomerular basement membrane, leading to a series of symptoms. The most typical symptoms include "three highs and one low": massive proteinuria, hypoproteinemia, severe edema, and hyperlipidemia. The main treatment method is medication, which may include corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, immunosuppressants, etc. If the condition cannot be controlled for a long time, the prognosis is very poor.