| FGS / FSGS:(Focal Glomerulo Sclerosis / Focal Segmental Glomerulo Sclerosis) |
Most of the time FGS / FSGS is a primary disease of the kidney. (i.e., there is no other disease in the patient that is causing this kidney disease.)
But at times it could be secondary to other medical conditions. Some of them are listed below:
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1. Intravenous drug
abuse 2. Aids / HIV 3. Lupus 4. Consequence of having only one kidney 5. Blood vessel to the kidney is partly closed (Renal Artery Stenosis) 6. Certain Medications when used in excess Arthritis Medications (NSAID) Pain Medications (Analgesics) 7. Diabetes Mellitus 8. Hypertension 9. Obesity 10. Sarcoidosis / Gullian-Barre / Sickle-cell disease 11. IgA-Nephritis (another form of Kidney disease) |
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SYMPTOMS:
* There may not be any symptoms
* Causes proteinuria
which is diagnosed through urine test
* When proteinuria is severe enough to cause Nephrotic
Syndrome it results in excessive fluid
retention. Such fluid retention usually causes swelling. When fluid
retention is severe patient may experience shortness of breath, weakness and
malaise. (Ref to Symptoms of
Proteinuria)
TREATMENT:
1. Generally no satisfactory treatment is
available and FGS/FSGS remains a difficult disease to treat.
2. Nevertheless, recent studies indicate when treated with the
following medications (or combinations of them) for extended periods of time (6
to 18 months) FGS might respond to various extent:
a. Prednisone
b. Cyclosporin (Neoral / Sandimmune)
c. Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
d. Cellcept
e. ACE-Inhibitors (Accupril, Monopril, Lotensin,
Altace etc)
f. AT1 - receptor blockers (Diovan,
Cozaar, Avapro etc)
NATURAL COURSE:
When it fails to respond to any of the above medications (or combination of them), the disease process in the kidney continues at a slow but steady pace. This usually results in gradual loss of kidney function, requiring Dialysis treatments or Kidney transplantation. The FGS/FSGS could recur in the transplanted kidney as well!