Top 4 Severe Complications of Nephrotic Syndrome

In Nephrotic Syndrome, the barrier functions of glomerular basilar membrane thus resulting in massive protein loss in urine. If the impaired glomeruli can not restored effectively, the protein in urine will become more and more. As a result, it will cause a series of complications. The following article will introduce the top 4 severe complications of Nephrotic Syndrome.

★ Acute Renal Failure

Acute Renal Failure is the most serious complication of Nephrotic Syndrome. The patients may develop Renal Failure in a very short time and have to maintain their life by dialysis.

★ Infection

Protein is the major nutrients in blood which can supply the necessary energy for body. However, for large amount of protein loss in urine, the patients are quite likely to develop infection. Nephrotic Syndrome is often complicated with frequent urinary tract infection. In severe case, it can cause life-threatening infection.

★ Thrombus

The formation of thrombus is also serious complication of Nephrotic Syndrome. The thrombus can migrate freely in blood and can deposit in multiple body parts. If it form or immigrate in lung, it will cause pulmonary embolism which is a fateful disease for the patients.

★ Malnutrition

As mentioned above, the protein is the main nutrients for body. For a mass of protein loss in urine, it will certainly cause malnutrition. The patients often feel fatigue. For the children with Nephrotic Syndrome, malnutrition can inhibit their healthy growth and development severely.

As the four complications of Nephrotic Syndrome are all associated with massive of proteinuria, eliminating proteinuria is the key for treating the four complications.


Proteinuria in Nephrotic Syndrome results from damaged glomerular basilar membrane. Therefore, the patients should take relevant treatment to repair the glomerular basilar membrane. Immunotherapy is recommended to the patients with Nephrotic Syndrome. Once the glomerular basilar membrane is restored very well, it will be able to regain the normal barrier function which can prevent the protein leakage. Afterwards, the related four complications will improve.