Nephritic-Nephrotic Syndrome

Nephritic-Nephrotic Syndrome is a kidney condition that affects how the kidneys filter blood. It involves damage to the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys called glomeruli, which normally keep important proteins and blood cells in the body. This damage causes both blood and large amounts of protein to leak into the urine, leading to symptoms like swelling, especially in the legs and around the eyes. The condition affects the urinary system and can cause problems with blood pressure and kidney function. It is a combination of two types of kidney problems: nephritic syndrome, which causes inflammation and blood in the urine, and nephrotic syndrome, which causes heavy protein loss. This overlap can make the illness more severe and harder to treat.

Nephritic-Nephrotic Syndrome is characterized by simultaneous features of glomerular inflammation and severe proteinuria exceeding 3.5 g/day. It results from immune-mediated injury to the glomerular capillary walls, often due to diseases such as membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, post-infectious glomerulonephritis, or lupus nephritis. The core pathology involves disruption of the glomerular filtration barrier, leading to hematuria, red blood cell casts, and edema from hypoalbuminemia. This syndrome reflects a mixed pattern of glomerular damage with both inflammatory cell infiltration and podocyte injury. Clinically, it is significant because it combines the risks of acute kidney injury from inflammation and the complications of nephrotic-range protein loss, including hypercoagulability and infections.