Nephritis

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Nephritis
Classification and external resources
MeSH D009393

Nephritis is inflammation of the nephrons in the kidneys. The word "nephritis" was imported from Latin, which took it from Greek: νεφρίτιδα.[1] The word comes from the Greek νεφρός - nephro- meaning "of the kidney" and -itis meaning "inflammation".

Contents

[edit] Subtypes

[edit] By main location of inflammation

[edit] By cause

Nephritis is often caused by infections, toxins, and auto-immune diseases. It can be caused by infection, but is most commonly caused by autoimmune disorders that affect the major organs. For example, those with lupus are at a much higher risk for developing nephritis. In rare cases nephritis can be genetically inherited, though it may not present in childhood.

  • Pyelonephritis is inflammation that results from a urinary tract infection that reaches the pyelum (pelvis) of the kidney.
  • Lupus nephritis is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease of the immune system.
  • Athletic nephritis is nephritis resulting from strenuous exercise. It may result in proteinuria, hematuria and cylinduria.[2] In most persons these are transient findings that disappear within hours to days after the end of exercise.[2] The findings generally increase by increasing severity and duration of physical stress.[2] Hematuria after strenuous exercise may also result from march hemoglobinuria, which is caused by trauma to red blood cells, causing hemolysis and resultant release of hemoglobin into the blood. However, it is possible for athletic nephritis to be a result of the hemoglobin load on the kidneys caused by march hemoglobinuria.

[edit] Complications

Nephritis is the most common producer of glomerular injury. It is a disturbance of the glomerular structure with inflammatory cell proliferation. This can lead to reduced glomerular blood flow, leading to reduced urine output (oliguria) and retention of waste products (uremia). As a result, red blood cells may leak out of damaged glomeruli, causing blood to appear in the urine (hematuria). Low renal blood flow activates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), causing fluid retention and mild hypertension.

Nephritis is a serious medical condition which is the eighth highest cause of human death. As the kidneys inflame, they begin to excrete needed protein from the body into the urine stream. This condition is called proteinuria. Loss of necessary protein due to nephritis can result in several life-threatening symptoms. Most dangerous in cases of nephritis is the loss of protein that keeps blood from clotting. This can result in blood clots causing sudden stroke.

[edit] Epidemiology

Disability-adjusted life year for nephritis and nephrosis per 100,000 inhabitants in 2004.[3]
  no data
  less than 40
  40-120
  120-200
  200-280
  280-360
  360-440
  440-520
  520-600
  600-680
  680-760
  760-840
  more than 840

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=nephritis
  2. ^ a b c Gardner Jr, K. D. (1971). "Athletic nephritis: Pseudo and real". Annals of internal medicine 75 (6): 966–967. PMID 5167442.  edit [1]
  3. ^ "WHO Disease and injury country estimates". World Health Organization. 2009. http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/estimates_country/en/index.html. Retrieved Nov. 11, 2009. 


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