Glomerular Disease Dubai
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Glomerular Disease
Glomerular diseases affect the filtering units of your kidney, the glomeruli. Symptoms include foamy urine, pink urine, high blood pressure and swelling in your face, hands, ankles or feet. Many diseases can cause glomerular disease. The leading cause is diabetes-related nephropathy. Treatments depend on the cause. The goal is to prevent or slow kidney damage.
How does glomerular disease interfere with kidney function?
Glomerular disease damages the glomeruli, affecting their ability to properly function. Instead of keeping protein and red blood cells circulating in the blood, damaged glomeruli leak some of these products into your urine. One of the jobs of proteins in the blood, such as albumin, is to move extra fluid from the body to the bloodstream so it can be filtered by the kidneys and removed from the body as urine. Not having enough protein in your bloodstream keeps extra fluid in your body, causing swelling in areas including your face, hands, feet, abdomen and ankles.
Damaged glomeruli also can’t filter out waste products and these products begin to build up in your blood.
Causes
Causes of glomerular disease include:
- Infection or a medication or chemical that is harmful to your kidney.
- Diseases that affect the entire body, including the kidneys.
- Diseases that cause swelling or scarring of the nephron or glomerulus.
- An unknown cause.
Symptoms
Signs of glomerular disease include one or more of the following:
- Foamy urine (a sign of protein in your urine [proteinuria]).
- Pink or light brown urine (a sign of blood in your urine [hematuria]).
- Swelling in your face/around eye (especially in the morning), hands, feet or ankles (especially at the end of the day). This swelling is called edema.
- High blood pressure (hypertension).
Diagnosis
After a thorough physical and medical history, your healthcare provider will order several tests, including:
- Urine test (urinalysis), to check for high protein level, presence of red blood cells, and white blood cell level (would indicate infection or inflammation).
- Blood tests, to check for low protein level, creatinine (kidney function) and urea nitrogen levels (waste product). A calculation is made, called the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), to determine if your kidneys are filtering properly.
- Additional blood tests for potential causes such as infections or autoimmune diseases.
- Imaging tests, including ultrasound, to see if the shape or size of the kidneys is abnormal.
- Kidney biopsy, involves using a needle to remove small pieces of tissue to view under a microscope.
Treatment
Autoimmune diseases
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (also simply known as lupus): This autoimmune disease affects many parts of the body. In the kidney, it causes lupus nephritis, which is inflammation of the glomeruli. The inflammation causes scarring that keeps the kidney from functioning properly. Anti-inflammatory treatment includes immunosuppressant medications such as mycophenolate mofetil or cyclophosphamide combined with the corticosteroid prednisolone.
- Goodpasture’s syndrome: This autoimmune disease attacks the kidneys and lungs. In the kidney, it causes glomerulonephritis, which is inflammation of the glomeruli and can lead to permanent kidney damage. Treatments include immunosuppressive drugs and plasmapheresis (a process to remove antibodies that are attacking your own body).
- IGA nephropathy: With this autoimmune disease, a specific part of your immune system called the antibody immunoglobulin A (IgA) forms deposits in the glomeruli. These deposits cause inflammation. Treatments include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers.
Hereditary nephritis
- Alport Syndrome: This is an inherited condition that causes chronic glomerular disease along with hearing or vision impairment. It affects both men and women. Men experience more chronic kidney disease, which can be diagnosed in their twenties; with total kidney failure often occurring by age 40. Treatments include medications to regulate blood pressure.
Prevention
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Keep your salt intake low; don’t add extra salt to foods.
- Keep your blood pressure well managed. Target is 120/80 mmHg.
- Manage your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Take all your prescribed medications and follow all management goals discussed with your healthcare provider.
- Stop smoking.
Why Choose Dr. Manish Tripathi for Glomerular Disease Treatment in Dubai?
Doctor Short Bio Dr. Manish Tripathi is a board-certified nephrologist specializing in kidney disorders, including glomerular diseases. With extensive experience in diagnosing and treating kidney-related conditions, Dr. Manish Tripathi is committed to providing personalized care to help patients manage symptoms and prevent further kidney damage. Dr. Manish Tripathi is passionate about patient education, empowering individuals to take proactive steps toward kidney health through lifestyle modifications and targeted treatments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Glomerular disease refers to conditions that affect the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units in the kidneys responsible for removing waste and excess fluids from the blood. Damage to these structures can lead to kidney dysfunction and other complications.
Common symptoms include foamy urine (proteinuria), pink or brown urine (hematuria), swelling in the face, hands, ankles, or feet (edema), and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Glomerular disease can be caused by infections, harmful medications, autoimmune disorders (such as lupus and Goodpasture’s syndrome), hereditary conditions (such as Alport syndrome), and diabetes-related nephropathy.
Diagnosis typically involves urine tests, blood tests, imaging studies (such as ultrasound), and sometimes a kidney biopsy to assess damage to the glomeruli.
Damaged glomeruli may leak protein and blood into the urine instead of keeping these essential substances in the bloodstream. This can lead to swelling due to fluid retention, accumulation of waste products in the blood, and progressive kidney damage.
Treatment depends on the underlying cause and may include medications such as immunosuppressants for autoimmune conditions, blood pressure-lowering drugs, and lifestyle changes to support kidney function. In severe cases, dialysis or kidney transplantation may be necessary.
While some causes cannot be prevented, steps can be taken to reduce the risk, such as maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar levels, reducing salt intake, and avoiding smoking.
The outlook depends on the specific type and severity of the disease. Early diagnosis and proper management can help slow progression and prevent complications, but some forms may lead to chronic kidney disease or kidney failure.
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