Nephrotic Syndrome - Edema Question

[StressedMedStud]

Can someone tell me if my understanding of nephrotic syndrom and why it causes edema is correct?

So in nephrotic syndrome you lose alot of protien (albumin) from ECF, so this will decrease the oncotic pressure in plasma.

Since you decreased osmotic pressure in plasma, the water will shift into ICF (inside the cell) and interstitium and therefore you have edema.


Is my reasoning correct or incorrect as to why nephrotic syndrome causes edema?

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[ijn]

You've got the right idea for the most part.

Nephrotic syndrome doesn't cause cellular swelling or an increase in ICF fluid since there aren't significant changes in tonicity. Nephrotic syndrome causes extravasation of fluid into the interstitial space. Both the plasma and interstitial fluid are components of the ECF (1/4th and 3/4ths, respectively.)

 

[StressedMedStud]

You've got the right idea.

Nephrotic syndrome doesn't cause cellular swelling or an increase in ICF fluid since there aren't significant changes in tonicity. Nephrotic syndrome causes extravasation of fluid into the interstitial space. Both the plasma and interstitial fluid are components of the ECF (1/4th and 3/4ths, respectively.)

Thanks! Glad I understood something for a change!

 

[Dr McSexy]

Sorta. From what I remember from goljan....

loss of protein causes shift of fluid from plasma into interstitial space (due to decreased oncotic pressure), which can net you some edema.

This causes a decrease in effective circulating volume and thus cardiac output is decreased. To compensate, your body starts firing off the sympathetic system and activating the RAAS. This causes your body to reabsorb a hypotonic solution (more water than sodium). Since your starling forces are still messed up, this fluid redistributes into the interstitial space and into the ICF now also (since you've now changed the tonicity of the ECF by reabsorbing a hypotonic fluid).

This is where the bulk of your edema comes from.

 

[StressedMedStud]

Sorta. From what I remember from goljan....

loss of protein causes shift of fluid from plasma into interstitial space (due to decreased oncotic pressure), which can net you some edema.

This causes a decrease in effective circulating volume and thus cardiac output is decreased. To compensate, your body starts firing off the sympathetic system and activating the RAAS. This causes your body to reabsorb a hypotonic solution (more water than sodium). Since your starling forces are still messed up, this fluid redistributes into the interstitial space and into the ICF now also (since you've now changed the tonicity of the ECF by reabsorbing a hypotonic fluid).

This is where the bulk of your edema comes from.

oh thanks so much!! I still have to do golgian audio!