Welcome To The NephCure Foundation; supporting research into Nephrotic Syndrome and FSGS Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis.

Nephrotic Syndrome, FSGS, Kidney Disease

What is Minimal Change Disease?
Minimal Change Disease (MCD) is the most common form of Nephrotic Syndrome found in children. Several diseases in the kidney can cause Nephrotic Syndrome, and MCD is the diagnosis given when a patient has Nephrotic Syndrome and a kidney biopsy reveals little or no change to the structure of glomeruli or surrounding tissues when examined by a light microscope. Tiny drops of a fatty substance called a lipid may be present, but no scarring has taken place within the kidney. MCD can occur at any age; however, it is most common in childhood. In preadolescents, minimal-change Nephrotic Syndrome (MCNS) makes up 85-95% of all causes of Nephrotic Syndrome. In adolescents and young adults, the prevalence is 50%. In the population older than 40 years, it is found in 20-25% of cases with Nephrotic Syndrome.

What are some symptoms of MCD?
• Proteinuria: large amounts of protein in the urine

• Edema: swelling in parts of the body

• Water Retention

Causes, Treatments, and Research:
• MCD seems to be related to abnormalities in the immune system, as many children have infectious or allergic symptoms before diagnosis and the most successful treatments are medications that suppress the immune system, such as prednisone.

• Certain cells in the kidney, called podocytes, function abnormally in MCD. The biology of the podocyte is currently a topic of intensive research.

• MCD usually responds well to initial treatment, with the symptoms of Nephrotic Syndrome typically going away. Younger children usually respond faster than adults. However, two out of three children will relapse, suffering from recurring Nephrotic Syndrome symptoms. Many children will outgrow Nephrotic Syndrome in adolescence, but the reasons for this and best treatments to make this happen remain unknown.

• New research in MCD is focusing on understanding the causes of the disease better, identifying new targets for treatment, and developing treatments that are more durable and less toxic to enable the best possible health for patients with the condition.