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Overview and Symptoms:
Membranous Nephropathy (MN) is a rare kidney disease characterized by thickening in the part of the kidney that filters blood: the glomerular basement membrane. The thicker membrane does not work normally and causes protein that belongs in the blood to be spilled into the urine.
Early symptoms of Membranous Nephropathy:
Swelling in parts of the body, most noticeably around the eyes, hands, feet, and abdomen (called edema)
Protein in the urine, which can be foamy (called proteinuria)
Can cause high blood pressure (called hypertension) and high fat levels in the blood (high cholesterol)
Low levels of protein in the blood
Fast Facts
The only way to differentiate membranous nephropathy from other primary nephrotic syndrome conditions is to have a kidney biopsy.
MN occurs more frequently in adults than in children and is most prevalent in adults 40 years or older.
MN is associated with less than 5% of all new cases of nephrotic syndrome in children each year.
Some patients with membranous nephropathy are steroid-resistant.
MN is the most common cause of primary nephrotic syndrome in Caucasian adults.
Treating Your Disease
Short-Term Goals
The short-term goal of treatment is to stop protein from spilling completely (remission) or lower the amount of protein lost in the urine as much as possible.
Long-Term Goals
The long-term goals of treatment include preventing relapses of protein in the urine and preventing the deterioration of kidney function.
There are no currently FDA-approved medication options for MN. The standard first-line treatment for MN is prednisone, a corticosteroid.
How to Live With Your Disease
1
Following a low fat, low sodium diet will help improve your kidneys’ function and your MN symptoms.
2
Finding a nephrologist that specializes in MN is very important to your long-term health.
3
Learn about your disease, treatment options, and clinical trials in order to better advocate for yourself.
4
NephCure can help you connect with other patients and find support to manage your disease.
