How to Find FSGS (Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis) Earlier

FSGS refers to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. It is not a single disease, but a pattern of kidney damage. It is a disease condition, in which the glomeruli that are responsible for filtrating blood are scarred. Without timely finding and treatment, most of the patients with FSGS finally develop Renal Failure and have to maintain their life depending on dialysis and kidney transplant. Therefore, how to find FSGS earlier becomes the most important thing for all of us.

Firstly, it is necessary to know the symptoms of FSGS. As follows,

1. Proteinuria: If you find foam in your urine for no reasons and it persists for a long time, it may be likely to be caused by protein loss in urine. The patients with FSGS usually have large amounts of proteinuria and even develop Nephrotic Syndrome for most of them.

2. Swelling: For the decline in renal function and protein loss in urine, it causes retention of water and sodium in body thus causing swelling. The patients often have swelling around eyes, faces and ankle especially in the morning.

3. Hypoproteinemia: As the patients with FSGS lose large amounts of protein in urine, it can cause the protein concentration to decline in blood thus causing hypoproteinemia.

4. Hypertension: For the retention of water and sodium, it can cause the blood volume to increase, which then cause blood pressure to rise.

The above are the common symptoms of FSGS. If you have one or several symptoms above, you should make cleat whether it is caused by kidney damage. At that time, you should to do relative exams in time.

1. Renal function test: Blood tests and an analysis of a 24-hour urine collection are important in the diagnosis of FSGS.

2. Kidney biopsy: Biopsy is the most accurate test to confirm the diagnosis of FSGS. It can help the patients whether the glomeruli are ossified and which pathological type it belongs to.

The above tests can help the patients get an accurate diagnosis of FSGS. In addition, FSGS is sometimes linked to a hereditary gene. Having a family member with FSGS may increase the chance of acquiring the disease. Therefore, if there is a family member having FSGS, all other family members should take regular tests so as to find the disease in the first time.


Generally speaking, the prognosis of FSGS is bad, especially those with large amount of proteinuria. Therefore, the patients with FSGS should receive treatments as early as possible so as to prevent it from developing into Renal Failure. If you have one or more symptoms above and want to get an accurate diagnosis of your disease, please email to kidney-treatment@hotmail.com.