Nephrotic Syndrome Glossary
Albuminuria: Loss of albumin (one of the vital proteins in the body) in the urine.
Antigen: Antigens are foreign agents like bacteria, viruses, and toxic material. When they enter the body, an immune response is produced by the host to eliminate antigens.
Antibody: Antibodies are proteins, which are produced by the defense system of the body to eliminate antigens.
Antihypertensive medicine: Medicines given to control high blood pressure.
Ascites: Ascites is the presence of excess fluid in the peritoneal abdominal cavity.
Cholesterol: Cholesterol is one of several types of fats that play an important role in our body.
Creatinine and urea: Body wastes, which are removed by the kidneys.
Edema/Oedema: Swelling or bloating of the body due to accumulation of fluid/water in-between the body cells.
Glomerulus (pleural-glomeruli): Glomeruli are tiny blood vessels that form a meshwork in the kidney through which blood is strained to filter out excess water and waste products.
Glomerulonephritis: Glomerulonephritis is a kidney disease in which glomeruli become inflamed and scarred and slowly lose their ability to remove wastes and excess water from the blood to make urine.
Hematuria: Presence of blood in the urine.
Henoch-schonlein purpura: It is a disorder caused by an inflammation of blood vessels (vasculitis) and presents with skin rash, joint pain, abdominal pain, and kidney disease.
Hodgkin’s lymphoma: Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a malignant (cancerous) growth of cells in the lymph system of the body.
Hypoalbuminemia: Low levels of albumin in the body.
Hypoproteinemia: Low levels of proteins in the body.
Hypercholesterolemia: High levels of cholesterol in the body.
Hyperlipidemia: High levels of fats in the body.
Multiple myeloma: Multiple Myeloma is a form of cancer of the blood and immune system.
Nephrotic syndrome: The term is coined using two words: Nephros meaning kidney and syndrome meaning a group of disorders. Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder characterized by the loss of proteins in the urine.
Peritoneal cavity: Synonymous to the abdominal cavity.
Pleura: Membranous coverings of lungs.
Proteins: Proteins are the very important nutrients of the body and are made up of a combination of many chemicals called amino acids.
Proteinuria: Loss of proteins in the urine.
Systemic lupus erythematosus: An immune disorder in which body defenses are directed against the body’s own tissues and organs like joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc.
Thromboembolism: The blocking of a blood vessel by a thrombus or clot that has become detached from its site of formation.