Can Minimal Change Disease&Nephrotic Syndrome Develop into FSGS

Minimal change disease is a kidney disorder which may lead to nephrotic syndrome.Can it progress into FSGS?

Minimal change disease and nephrotic syndrome

Each kidney is made of more than a million nephrons, which filter blood and produce urine. In minimal change disease, there is damage to the tiny blood vessels inside the nephrons where blood is filtered to make urine and waste is removed.It owes its name to the fact that the lesion of the nephrons are visible only under electron microscope.As the tiny blood vessels become impaired, they will become leaky.As a result,a large amount protein will pass through nephrons,leading to protein in urine. Heavy protein in urine can give rise to Nephrotic Syndrome in minimal change disease.

Can minimal change disease with nephrotic syndrome develop into FSGS?

Minimal change disease is a progressive kidney disorder. Nephrotic syndrome can accelerate its progression significantly. Can minimal change disease with nephrotic syndrome develop into FSGS? If no aggressive treatment is applied, FSGS will be the result.

FSGS is a very difficult condition to manage. It is characterized by the appearance of tissue scarring in the glomeruli. “Focal” means that some of the glomeruli have scars, while others appear normal.“Segmental” refers to that only part of the glomeruli become damaged.If there is heavy protein in urine, FSGS will progress very rapidly. Some patients may develop ESRD in few years.

How to prevent minimal change disease into FSGS?Minimal change disease is not a difficult condition to manage.Some patients may have a remission only after a term of steroid treatment.If it relapses frequently,it can accelerate renal function decline significantly.

Immunotherapy is an effective treatment for minimal change disease with nephrotic syndrome.It can control the condition from its underlying causes and stop it from progression fundamentally.