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Glomerulonephritis
Definition:
Glomerulonephritis is a type of kidney disease caused by inflammation of the internal kidney structures (glomeruli). Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
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Glomerulonephritis may be a temporary and reversible condition, or it may get worse. Progressive glomerulonephritis may result in destruction of the kidney glomeruli and chronic renal failure and end stage renal disease. The disease may be caused by specific problems with the body's immune system, but the precise cause of some cases is unknown. Damage to the glomeruli with subsequent impaired filtering causes blood and protein to be lost in the urine. Because symptoms develop gradually, the disorder may be discovered when there is an abnormal urinalysis during routine physical or examination for unrelated disorders. Glomerulonephritis can cause hypertension (high blood pressure) and may only be discovered as a cause of high blood pressure that is difficult to control. It may develop after survival of the acute phase of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. In about a quarter of people with chronic glomerulonephritis there is no prior history of kidney disease and the disorder first appears as chronic renal failure. Specific disorders that are associated with glomerulonephritis include:
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