Pathology of the urinary system

nephrotic syndrome

: 

  - 

hypoproteinemia → generalized edema, ascites, pleural effusion; 

  - 

hyperlipidemia / hypercholesterolemia, resulting from a generalized increase in 

production of proteins, including lipoproteins, by the liver in response to 

hypoproteinemia; 

  - 

hypercoagulability, as result of selective loss of low-molecular-weight anticoagulants, 

such as antithrombin-3 (which is approximately the same size as albumin); 

  - 

minimal change nephrotic syndrome of children is associated with a reduction or loss 

of the normal negative charge of the glomerular filtration membrane, possibly caused 

by an immune-mediated process, with no or very little change at the light microscopic 

level; most of these children respond very well to treatment with glucocorticosteroids.