Nephrotic syndrome causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mehrian Jafarizade, M.D [2], Yazan Daaboul, Serge Korjian

Nephrotic syndrome can occur primarily or due to systemic diseases. The most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children is minimal change disease. The most common primary causes in adults are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease, and membranous nephropathy. Approximately 30 percent of adults have secondary nephrotic syndrome due to diabetes mellitus, SLE, or amyloidosis. The most common cause of secondary nephrotic syndrome in adults is diabetes mellitus.

Nephrotic syndrome can occur primarily or due to systemic diseases. The most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children is minimal change disease. The most common primary causes in adults are focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease, and membranous nephropathy. Approximately 30 percent of adults have secondary nephrotic syndrome due to diabetes mellitus, SLE, or amyloidosis.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

Primary renal disorders, such as primary glomerulonephritides, may cause primary nephrotic syndrome. Differentiation between different types of glomerular diseases is often made by clinical suspicion and by renal biopsy, which includes light microscopy, immunofluorescence, and ideally electron microscopy.

Secondary causes of renal disorders cause secondary nephrotic syndrome. The most common cause of secondary nephrotic syndrome in adults is diabetes mellitus. Shown below is a table of the causes of nephrotic syndrome by age group.^[8]

^{Adapted from Rose BD. Pathophysiology of renal diseases, ed. 2. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1987,p. 167}

• Agalsidase beta
• Certolizumab pegol
• Coagulation factor IX
• Olsalazine
• Sodium aurothiomalate
• Trimethadione
• Ziv-aflibercept