FSGS Facts:What are Some Symptoms of FSGS

FSGS (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis), is also known as focal glomerular sclerosis or focal nodular glomerulosclerosis. It is a term of pathological diagnosis and is one type of nephrotic syndrome that mainly occurs among children and young adults and is one major reason of renal failure.

FSGS can occur to all ages with adolescents and male accounts for more parts. In some cases, the patients have upper respiratory infections or allergic reactions before the onset of FSGS. It is one common cause of massive proteinuria and some cases can rapidly progress into end stage renal disease without effective and timely treatments. The most common symptoms of FSGS are proteinuria (foamy urine) and signs of nephrotic syndrome.

Here are some symptoms that FSGS patients might experience.

Proteinuria

Proteinuria is typical symptom of FSGS and in most patients the proteinuria is non-selective which is different from that of Minimal Change Nephropathy. This asymptomatic proteinuria can last for a long time and will in the end gradually develop into chronic renal failure. The prognosis of FSGS has much to do with the severity of protein leakage in urine.

Damages of renal tubules

In the early stage there are obvious signs indicating tubular-interstitial lesions. There will be a series of abnormalities in urine test including increase of urine NAG, retinol binding protein and urinary lysozyme level and decrease os urine osmotic pressure.

Microscopic hematuria

There is high incidence of microscopic hematuria and there are about 2/3 FSGS have it.

High blood pressure

In the beginning of the disease, there is high blood pressure and impairments of renal functions. Children has lower incidence to develop high blood pressure and renal insufficiency compared with adults.

Nephrotic syndrome

A majority of FSGS patients have typical symptoms of nephrotic syndrome, that is three-high and one-low(edema, massive proteinuria, hyperlipidemia and hypoalbuminemia).

Please note that upper respiratory infections some worsen some of the above mentioned symptoms, therefore effective prevention and timely treatments are very necessary and important.