What is nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms that indicate your kidneys are not working properly. These
symptoms include

too much protein in your urine, called proteinuria

low levels of a protein called albumin in your blood, called hypoalbuminemia

swelling in parts of your body, called edema

high levels of cholesterol and other lipids (fats) in your blood, called hyperlipidemia

Your kidneys are made up of about a million filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron includes a
filter, called the glomerulus, and a tubule. The glomerulus filters your blood, and the tubule returns
needed substances to your blood and removes wastes and extra water, which become urine. Nephrotic
syndrome usually happens when the glomeruli are inflamed, allowing too much protein to leak from
your blood into your urine.

View full-sized imageTwo illustrations. A human kidney, with arrows showing where unfiltered blood
enters the kidney and filtered blood leaves the kidney. Wastes and extra water leave the kidney through
the ureter to the bladder as urine. An inset image shows a microscopic view of a nephron, one of the
tiny units in the kidney that filters the blood. Labels point to the glomerulus, tubule, and the duct that
collects the extra waste and water that leave the body as urine.

As blood passes through healthy kidneys, the glomeruli filter out waste products and allow the blood to
keep the cells and proteins the body needs.

How common is nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is a combination of symptoms that can occur due to different causes. Among
adults, the syndrome is most often caused by rare kidney diseases.

Who is more likely to develop nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome can affect children and adults of all ages.1

What are the complications of having nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome can lead to serious complications, including2

blood clots that can lead to thrombosis NIH external link

higher risk of infection caused by the loss of immunoglobulins, proteins in your blood that help fight
viruses and bacteria

high blood pressure NIH external link, also called hypertension

brief or long-lasting kidney problems, including chronic kidney disease and kidney failure