Nephritis, also known as kidney inflammation, is the inflammation of the nephrons, the functional unit of the kidney. This situation, which may develop due to different reasons, may cause a serious decrease in kidney functions. The main goal in the treatment of the disease is to protect the healthy parts of the kidney and to perform its functions.
What is Renal Inflammation (Nephritis)?
Kidneys; They are the organs that filter waste materials, harmful components and excess fluid in the body and then remove them from the body with urine. The subunits that enable the kidneys to perform these functions are called nephrons. Each kidney contains about one million nephrons. Inflammation (inflammation) of these nephrons as a result of various reasons is called kidney inflammation (nephritis). as it develops. Acute glomerulonephritis may develop after conditions such as beta infection, hepatitis, and HIV in the throat.
Lupus Nephritis: Lupus is an autoimmune disease. So in lupus, the patient's immune system mistakenly attacks the body itself. In about half of lupus patients, the immune system also attacks the kidney and kidney damage occurs. The severity of inflammation and damage to the kidney may differ from person to person. Every patient diagnosed with lupus should have their kidney function evaluated at regular intervals.
Alport Syndrome: This syndrome can lead to kidney failure as well as vision and hearing problems. Alport syndrome is passed on genetically. Therefore, it can cause nephritis to be seen in different generations in a family. Alport syndrome may progress more severely in males.
Chronic Glomerulonephritis: Kidney damage develops gradually in chronic glomerulonephritis. In this process, several nephritis symptoms may be seen in the patient in the early period. Acute and chronic glomerulonephritis can cause severe kidney damage and consequently kidney failure in the patient.
IgA Nephropathy: It is one of the most common types of nephritis. This disease; It develops due to the accumulation of antibodies called IgA in the kidney and causing inflammation. IgA normally, the immune system It is a protein produced by cows to fight harmful microorganisms. However, in patients with IgA nephropathy, there is a problem with these proteins and they do not do their job. IgA reaching the kidney through blood precipitates here.
Interstitial Nephritis: Inflammation of this type; It occurs in a fluid-filled area of the kidney called the interstitium. Interstitial nephritis can occur due to an infection or medication and develops quite rapidly. After the condition that caused the inflammation in the kidney is eliminated, the inflammation resolves. However, in some patients, inflammation may have caused serious damage to the kidneys. These patients may experience progressive conditions up to renal failure.
Symptoms of kidney inflammation may vary depending on the type of nephritis in the patient. In the early stages of the disease, the patient may not show any signs of kidney inflammation. As the disease progresses, the symptoms become more severe. Symptoms seen in kidney inflammation:
- Burning or pain when urinating
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Cloudy urine
- Blood in the urine or pus
- Pain in the abdomen or kidney beds
- Swelling, edema formation, especially in the face, arms and legs
- Vomiting
- Fever
- It can be listed as high blood pressure.
What Causes Kidney Inflammation (Nephritis)?
Causes of kidney inflammation may vary depending on the type of nephritis. In some patients, it may not be possible to understand the condition that causes inflammation in the kidney. Kidney inflammation; It can occur due to a bacterial infection called Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV or Beta. The occurrence of nephritis in some individuals in a family for generations suggests that the disease may develop due to a genetic cause. Some medications can also cause nephritis. For example, some antibiotics, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory (NSAI) drugs and diuretics; may cause inflammation in the kidney.
There are some factors that increase the risk for nephritis and other kidney diseases. These factors are:
- Having a family member with kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Heart diseases
- It can be listed as being over 60 years old.
How is Renal Inflammation Treated?
In order to cure kidney inflammation, the patient must first be diagnosed appropriately.
First, the patient's history is taken and an examination is performed. The first tests that are usually requested from the patient are blood and urinalysis. BUN and creatinine values measured by blood test give information about kidney functions. With the blood test, the levels of electrolytes such as sodium, calcium, potassium in the blood can also be checked. These values can also be helpful in understanding whether the kidneys are working well. The presence of blood and protein in the urine is also investigated by urinalysis. In order to see the damage in the kidney, methods such as CT and ultrasound are used. A kidney biopsy may be taken to confirm the diagnosis of kidney inflammation. The diagnosis of nephritis can be made as a result of the examination of the piece taken. The type of nephritis in the patient is also determined by biopsy.
How is kidney inflammation treated? It is a frequently asked question. Each type of nephritis has its own treatment. Acute nephritis can sometimes resolve without the need for treatment. However, various treatments are usually applied to remove excess water and waste materials from the body as a result of the kidney not functioning. In chronic nephritis, the patient is regularly called for control. The patient's kidney functions and blood pressure are closely monitored. For these patients, drugs that control blood pressure and reduce edema can be used. Immunosuppressive medications may also be prescribed for conditions such as lupus nephritis.
Dialysis treatment may be beneficial in patients who develop severe renal failure due to nephritis. With dialysis, the waste materials accumulated in the patient's body are cleaned with the help of a device. The dialysis device takes over the task of the kidney by filtering harmful substances in the blood. Long-term treatment of kidney failure is by kidney transplantation. If a suitable kidney is found for the patient, the healthy kidney is transplanted to the patient. r.
Organ donor can be a deceased person or a relative of the patient. The success rates in kidney transplantation are quite high. For this reason, the patient who has a kidney transplant can continue his life in a healthy way. The patient can use immunosuppressant drugs to prevent the body from rejecting the organ after the transplant.
Inflammation of the kidney may result from changes in the diet. Nephritis patients may need to consume less protein, sodium and potassium in their diet to protect the kidney. Nephritis patients can prepare a diet suitable for them with the help of a dietitian.
Nephritis is a disease that cannot always be prevented. However, some practices reduce a person's chances of having kidney inflammation. These applications are;
- To control the weight, to be at the ideal weight
- To quit smoking
- To keep blood pressure and sugar under control
- Regular exercise
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