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Acute Nephritis - Treatment of Acute Nephritis
What is Acute Nephritis?
Acute Nephritis is a kidney disease commonly seen in children between two to six years of age 10 days after Pharyngitis or two weeks after skin infection. In acute glomerulonephritis, the kidneys are normal in size or enlarged and oedematous, and the surface of the kidney may show punctate haemorrhages. Acute Nephritis is less common these days due to prompt antibiotic thearphy of infections, but milder forms are still seen. Patients with acute nephritis had taken NSAID for on average 1.7 months. The diagnosis is suggested when renal failure develops in association with systemic illness. It occurs mostly in children, but is predominant in males. Most patients can recover completely but a few cases may progress to chronic nephritis. This disease pertains to the category of "feng shui"(wind edema) in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cases of acute nephritis are not uncommon in indigenous communities in northern Australia; the last major outbreak of the disease in north Queensland was in 1993 when 100 children were hospitalized and two died. Acute nephritis is caused when skin sores become infected with streptococcal bacteria. Acute nephritis is present at onset in 20% to 25% of patients, characterized by rapid deterioration of renal function, proteinuria in the nephrotic range (protein, >3 gm/24 hr), and hematuria. Acute nephritis often is complicated by oliguric renal failure, which is reversible with timely treatment using corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar).
Causes of Acute Nephritis
Cause of Acute Nephritis is post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis. The causes of nephritis (or acute nephritic syndrome as the collection of symptoms is sometimes called) tend to be different in adults and children.
Symptoms of Acute Nephritis
The child passes smoky brown urine, feels ill and may refuse to eat. The parents should be aware of number of times child visits the bathroom to convey the information to the pediatrician. The face may show swelling, particularly about the eyes.
Treatment of Acute Nephritis
- Antiboitics
- Bed Rest
- Serial urine examinations has to be done for year as followups
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