Acute nephritic syndrome Health Article

Expectations (prognosis)

The outlook depends on the disease responsible for the nephritis. When improvement occurs, symptoms associated with fluid retention (such as swelling and cough) and high blood pressure may go away in 1 or 2 weeks. However, urine tests take months to return to normal.

Children tend to do better than adults and usually recover completely. Only rarely do they develop complications or progress to chronic glomerulonephritis.

Adults do not recover quite as well or as rapidly as children. Although recurrence is unusual, at least one-third of adults whose acute nephritic syndrome recurs will eventually develop end-stage kidney disease.

Complications

• Acute kidney failure
• Chronic kidney failure
• End-stage kidney disease
• High blood pressure
• Congestive heart failure
• Pulmonary edema
• Chronic glomerulonephritis
• Nephrotic syndrome

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of acute nephritic syndrome.

Prevention

Many times the disorder cannot be prevented, although treatment of illness and infection may help to reduce the risk.