Membranous nephropathy is a fairly serious kidney disease. In case of its occurrence, it is important to immediately contact a specialist and start treatment in a timely manner. Otherwise, you may face serious complications.
What is this?
This disease is an autoimmune pathology of the kidneys. It occurs due to the deposition of immune complexes on the walls of the renal capillaries. This leads to thickening and further separation of the basement membranes and vessel walls.
This disease requires serious treatment, as over time it can contribute to the formation of kidney failure. This is especially true for male patients, in whom the disease is accompanied by a decrease in the glomerular filtration rate at the earliest stages.
Etiology
Currently, the specific causes of this disease are unknown. At the same time, there is a whole list of factors that can lead to the development of membranous nephropathy. Chief among them are the following:
- Having an autoimmune disease.
- Development of tumor diseases.
- Infectious pathology (especially viral hepatitis B).
- Ongoing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and captopril.
The presence of two or more provoking factors at once increases the likelihood of developing the disease. In addition, there is an increased risk of its occurrence in persons whose close relatives suffered from this pathology. Such people are advised to undergo periodic medical examinations more often and take a general urine test.
Pathogenesis
Membranous nephropathy is an autoimmune disease. Thus, damage to the kidneys appears due to the activity of the body's own immune cells. First, cationic antigens are deposited in the subepithelial space. Over time, they accumulate and cause complement activation. As a result, the basement membrane of the vessels is damaged, which leads to the loss of protein and red blood cells along with urine.
Symptomatics
With the development of this disease, the patient is rarely bothered by any serious clinical manifestations. This leads to delays in seeking medical help and a more severe course of the disease.
The main symptoms of this pathology are:
- swelling of the face and ankles;
- appearance of protein in the urine;
- increase in the number of red blood cells in the urine(hematuria);
- moderate general weakness;
- periodic dizziness;
- fatigue;
- nausea;
- increased blood pressure (due to impaired activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system of the kidneys).
Often, this disease becomes an accidental finding during a routine medical examination.
Diagnosis
Today, if there is suspicion of the development of membranous nephropathy, the following examination is carried out:
- Determination of the level of autoimmune complexes in urine analysis.
- Complete urinalysis.
- Ultrasound examination of the kidneys.
- Renal tissue biopsy.
- Blood chemistry (usually creatinine and urea to check for kidney failure).
- Determination of glomerular filtration rate.
This examination allows not only to establish a diagnosis, but also to identify the degree of decrease in the functionality of the renal tissue.
Treatment measures
With the development of swelling of the face, the occurrence of constant weakness (for no apparent reason), you should consult a doctor. This is necessary to start timely treatment of membranous nephropathy. To date, the complex of therapeutic measures for this disease includes the following drugs:
- diuretics;
- cytostatics;
- antihypertensive drugs (in case ofincrease in blood pressure due to impaired kidney function);
- hormonal drugs;
- immunoglobulins;
- anticoagulants;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
When following clinical recommendations, membranous nephropathy usually does not bother the patient. The exceptions are situations when the disease began with a fairly serious decrease in the level of glomerular filtration. It is especially difficult for males to endure it.
In some cases, this disease can lead to severe renal failure. This forces the patient to be referred for hemodialysis. This form of treatment greatly complicates the patient's life, as he will have to visit a he althcare facility every 2-3 days and stay there for 3-4 hours. Moreover, equipment for hemodialysis is available only in large inter-district, as well as in specialized medical centers. This condition implies further registration of the patient for a disability group. Patients with extreme forms of renal failure cannot do without hemodialysis, since their body does not remove harmful substances that are released into the blood during the life of cells.
Diets
In membranous nephropathy, the doctor's recommendations will include not only drugs, but also the correction of the person's diet. With the development of this disease, the following products should be abandoned:
- wheat and rye bread;
- table s alt (total consumption should not exceed 3 g per day);
- fatty varieties of fish, meat, poultry;
- meat, mushroom and fish broths;
- smoked meats;
- sorrel;
- marinated and pickled foods;
- garlic;
- legumes;
- chocolate;
- coffee;
- bow;
- mineral water containing sodium;
- alcoholic drinks.
If you follow this diet, membranous nephropathy will proceed much more slowly. In addition, such a diet will help to significantly reduce the likelihood of developing such a disease if a person does not abuse these products even before the appearance of pathological changes. It is also recommended to avoid excessively high-calorie foods and the formation of excess weight.
Prevention measures
This disease has a not fully understood etiology, but it is reliably known that the risk of developing this disease is much less in individuals who do not suffer from other renal pathology. That's why it's important:
- do not get cold;
- timely take courses of treatment in case of development of acute kidney diseases in order to prevent their transition into a chronic form;
- do not abuse alcoholic beverages, smoked meats, chocolate, s alt and other products that are not recommended for membranous nephropathy;
- Maintain an adequate level of physical activity and lead a rational lifestyle.
Even if the disease failsprevent, its severity, subject to these rules, will be significantly lower.
