Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) ASCP Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by damage to the glomerular membrane, which results in increased permeability to high molecular weight proteins, particularly albumin. This condition leads to significant proteinuria, where proteins that should be retained in the bloodstream are lost in the urine. Consequently, patients with nephrotic syndrome may present with symptoms such as edema, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia.

The damage to the glomerular membrane in nephrotic syndrome disrupts the normal filtration barrier, allowing molecules that are normally too large to pass through to leak into the urine. In contrast, alternatives like nephritic syndrome, while also involving renal pathology, are characterized by inflammation of the glomeruli leading to hematuria and the presence of red blood cells or casts in the urine, rather than significant protein loss. Diabetic nephropathy refers specifically to renal damage due to diabetes, which can lead to nephrotic changes but is not defined solely by the mechanism of protein loss. Acute Kidney Injury encompasses a range of conditions leading to a sudden decrease in kidney function, which does not inherently involve the specific glomerular damage and resultant proteinuria seen in nephrotic syndrome.