Is membranous nephropathy serious?
Disease description:
Recently, I have been experiencing severe and unbearable pain in my kidney area, along with blood in my urine. Additionally, there are a lot of sediments in my urine, which looks particularly unpleasant and alarming. The doctor diagnosed me with membranous nephropathy. May I ask, how serious is membranous nephropathy?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Membranous nephropathy is generally considered a severe condition, primarily reflected in the following aspects:
1. Clinical manifestations: Over 80% of patients develop nephrotic syndrome, characterized by massive proteinuria (24-hour urinary protein excretion exceeding 3.5 grams), hypoalbuminemia (plasma albumin levels below 30 grams per liter), edema, and lipid metabolism disorders. These symptoms significantly impair patients' quality of life.
2. Risk of complications: Due to significant protein loss in patients with membranous nephropathy, various complications may occur, including acute kidney injury, thromboembolism (such as deep vein thrombosis, renal vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism, with an incidence rate of 10% to 60%), further worsening the condition.
3. Long-term prognosis: If the condition is not effectively controlled over a prolonged period, it may eventually lead to kidney failure, posing a serious threat to patients' life and health.
