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Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis

Contributors: Shea A. Nagle MPH, Christine Osborne MD, Catherine Moore MD, Michael W. Winter MD
Other Resources UpToDate PubMed

Synopsis

Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) is the most common cause of nephritic syndrome in children. PSGN typically occurs 1-3 weeks after a group A beta hemolytic streptococcal (GAS) pharyngitis or 3-6 weeks after a GAS skin infection. It is thought to be a glomerular immune complex disease leading to complement activation and triggered by specific nephrogenic strains of GAS.

The clinical features of PSGN are varied, with a majority of children presenting with asymptomatic microscopic hematuria. Common clinical features in symptomatic children include peripheral edema, hypertension, gross hematuria with characteristic tea- or cola-colored urine, acute kidney injury, and proteinuria, which at times reaches nephrotic levels.

Children typically have a good prognosis with normalization of creatinine. Adults may have residual effects of hypertension, recurrent proteinuria, and persistence of abnormal renal function.

Codes

ICD10CM:
N00.9 – Acute nephritic syndrome with unspecified morphologic changes

SNOMEDCT:
68544003 – Acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis

Look For

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Diagnostic Pearls

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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls

Clinical history is crucial to the diagnosis of PSGN. A recent history of a GAS infection in the setting of nephritic syndrome symptoms supports the PSGN diagnosis.

Alternative diagnoses to consider:

Best Tests

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Management Pearls

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Therapy

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References

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Last Reviewed:01/06/2019
Last Updated:10/09/2022
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Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis
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A medical illustration showing key findings of Acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis : Dark urine, Fatigue, Edema, Hematuria, Oliguria, BP increased
Copyright © 2023 VisualDx®. All rights reserved.