Proteinuria Treatment in Membranous Nephropathy

Membranous Nephropathy refers to inflammation on glomerular membrane. Proteinuria is a major symptom of Membranous Nephropathy. Well then, why proteinuria occurs in Membranous Nephropathy? What is the proper treatment for proteinuria? Is the symptom dangerous?

Proteinuria in Membranous Nephropathy

Clinical diagnosis of Membranous Nephropathy depends on renal biopsy result as well as analysis of clinical presentations. A session of renal tissues is removed during renal biopsy, which will determine that the underlying condition is damaged glomerular basement membrane (GBM). GBM cells stop proteins from escaping into urine. Infections, autoimmune disorders and certain medicines may be predisposing for the disease. Under microscope, large amounts of antigen-antibody immune complexes are deposited on glomerular capillary epithelial cells, thickening glomerular basilar membrane and impairing the filtration functions of glomerular filter. Hence a higher level of proteins will be present in urine.

Proteinuria treatment in Membranous Nephropathy

In comparison to adults, children sufferers with this disease tend to have a better auto-remission rate and better prognosis. The duration and extent of proteinuria is thought to be closely linked to the prognosis of Membranous Nephropathy. In as many as 50 percent cases, the patients developed into end-stage kidney failure in an average 15 to 20 years. The management of proteinuria is one of the important aspects for treating the disease. Controlling blood pressure will help to reduce glomerular filtration pressure thus remitting proteinuria. Hormones and immunosuppressive medicine treatment will control inflammations on kidneys so this will help to reduce proteinuria. Balancing your intake of proteins also helps to control the symptom----the intake of proteins should make up for the protein loss but should not be too much to worsen the proteinuria.

More importantly, as we have mentioned above, proteinuria results from the thickening and injured glomerular cells. To treat the symptom, a further effective treatment may involve reducing the accumulation of immune complex, correcting immune disorder and improving the injured kidneys. In view of this point, Immunotherapy treatment is a preferable choice which combines western medicines and traditional Chinese medicines into a wholism therapy.