Excretory Disorder: Nephritis Samuel and Hanif
Introduction Nephritis is inflammation of the nephrons in the kidneys. Nephritis resolves completely in about 60 per cent of adults and as many as 90 per cent of children
Symptoms Swelling of the tissues (initially the face and around the eyes, later more prominent in the legs) Reduction in urine volume Dark urine (contains blood which may not be visible) Increase in blood pressure Headaches Drowsiness (mengantuk) Visual disturbances Tiredness and general malaise (feeling ill) Nausea In rapidly progressive disease, loss of appetite (selera makan), vomiting (muntah), abdominal pain and joint pain may occur
Symptoms About half of those who develop acute nephritis actually have no symptoms. If symptoms do develop, they point clearly to the problem. The inflammation causes blood and protein to leak into the urine. As protein levels in the blood fall, excess fluid accumulates in the body.
Causes and Risk Factors Adults In adults, diseases that frequently underlie nephritis include vasculitis (inflammation of the blood vessels), pneumonia, abscesses, infections such as measles, mumps or glandular fever, hepatitis, and a range of different immune disorders that cause types of glomerulonephritis. Children One of the commonest, especially in children, is after infection with the streptococcus bacteria, which leads to an immune reaction that damages the filtering units of the kidney known as the glomeruli. This condition is called post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Treatment and Recovery The treatment of nephritis depends on the type and cause of the condition. The aim is to reduce inflammation, limit the damage to the kidneys and support the body until kidney function is back to normal. Restriction of sodium (salt), potassium, protein and fluids in the diet may be necessary Antibiotics may be needed too, although in many cases the infection that initially triggered the nephritis has long since gone. Medication may also be needed to control blood pressure.