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Nephritic vs nephrotic syndrome
| Dimension | Nephritic | Nephrotic |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Glomerular inflammation | Podocyte injury and protein leak |
| Urine | Blood, dysmorphic cells, red cell casts | Heavy protein, bland sediment, oval fat bodies |
| Proteinuria | Present, subnephrotic | Above 3.5 g/day |
| Hallmarks | Hypertension, oliguria, edema | Edema, hypoalbuminemia, hyperlipidemia |
| Companions | AKI, complement consumption in some causes | Thrombosis, infection risk |
| Classic causes | Post-infectious GN, IgA nephropathy, vasculitis, lupus | Minimal change, membranous, FSGS, diabetes, amyloid |
Pearls
- Red cell casts prove the nephritic side; heavy protein with bland sediment argues the nephrotic side.
- Overlap exists (lupus and membranoproliferative patterns can straddle both).
Connected