# A beginner’s guide to the clinical approach and key concepts of glomerular disease: a mini review

**Authors:** Suwasin Udomkarnjananun, Talerngsak Kanjanabuch, Dennis A. Hesselink

PMC · DOI: 10.2478/abm-2025-0036 · Asian Biomedicine: Research, Reviews and News · 2025-12-31

## TL;DR

This paper provides a beginner-friendly overview of diagnosing and managing glomerular disease, focusing on key clinical features and approaches.

## Contribution

The paper fills a literature gap by offering a general introduction to glomerular disease concepts for medical students and internists.

## Key findings

- Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent chronic kidney disease.
- Clinical features like foamy urine, hematuria, and proteinuria aid in diagnosis.
- Differential diagnosis remains essential for timely management.

## Abstract

Glomerular disease is a common issue in nephrology, where prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are crucial to halting disease progression and preventing the development of chronic kidney disease or end-stage kidney disease. The initial approach and differential diagnosis remain essential clinical skills for ensuring timely investigation and management. In an era of advanced molecular diagnostics in histopathology and biologic therapies, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding a general introduction to the overarching concepts of glomerular disease. This article aims to serve as a guide for medical students and internists, offering an overview of the approach to glomerular disease, including differential diagnoses, the clinical features of nephritis and nephrotic syndrome, and common presentations that aid in diagnosis, such as foamy urine, hematuria, and proteinuria.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** chronic kidney disease (MONDO:0005300), end-stage kidney disease (MONDO:0004375), nephritis (MONDO:0001166), nephrotic syndrome (MONDO:0005377)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PLG (plasminogen) [NCBI Gene 5340] {aka HAE4}, GLP1R (glucagon like peptide 1 receptor) [NCBI Gene 2740] {aka GLP-1, GLP-1-R, GLP-1R}, PLA2R1 (phospholipase A2 receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 22925] {aka CLEC13C, PLA2-R, PLA2G1R, PLA2IR, PLA2R}, LPL (lipoprotein lipase) [NCBI Gene 4023] {aka HDLCQ11, LIPD}, REN (renin) [NCBI Gene 5972] {aka ADTKD4, HNFJ2, RTD}, FASN (fatty acid synthase) [NCBI Gene 2194] {aka FAS, OA-519, SDR27X1}, COL4A4 (collagen type IV alpha 4 chain) [NCBI Gene 1286] {aka ATS2, BFH, BFH1, CA44}, MPO (myeloperoxidase) [NCBI Gene 4353], ALB (albumin) [NCBI Gene 213] {aka FDAHT, HSA, PRO0883, PRO0903, PRO1341}, LOC102723407 (immunoglobulin heavy variable 4-38-2-like) [NCBI Gene 102723407] {aka IGHV4, IGHV4-30, IGHV4-38-2, IGHV4-39, IGHV4-b, IGVH4-39}, PRTN3 (proteinase 3) [NCBI Gene 5657] {aka ACPA, AGP7, C-ANCA, CANCA, MBN, MBT}, COL4A5 (collagen type IV alpha 5 chain) [NCBI Gene 1287] {aka ASLN, ATS, ATS1, CA54}, PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) [NCBI Gene 255738] {aka FH3, FHCL3, HCHOLA3, LDLCQ1, NARC-1, NARC1}, LIPC (lipase C, hepatic type) [NCBI Gene 3990] {aka HDLCQ12, HL, HTGL}
- **Diseases:** hyperlipidemia (MESH:D006949), C3 glomerulopathy (MESH:C562875), inflammation (MESH:D007249), DDD (MESH:C562924), nephrosclerosis (MESH:D009400), cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (MESH:D014657), Deposition diseases (MESH:D004194), Nephritic syndrome (MESH:D013577), skin lesions (MESH:D012871), Nephrotic (MESH:D009404), Dyslipidemia (MESH:D050171), hematuria (MESH:D006417), LCDD (MESH:D007767), ear-nose-throat (MESH:D004427), LN (MESH:D008181), ANCA (MESH:D056648), diabetes mellitus (MESH:D003920), Dysmorphic (MESH:D057215), multiple myeloma (MESH:D009101), vasculopathy (MESH:D000090122), MCD (MESH:D009402), GBM (MESH:D019867), CKD (MESH:D051436), edema (MESH:D004487), preeclampsia (MESH:D011225), CMV (MESH:D003586), obesity (MESH:D009765), FSGS (MESH:D005923), autoimmune diseases (MESH:D001327), acute nephritis (MESH:C564356), pleural effusion (MESH:D010996), cutaneous vasculitis (MESH:D018366), interstitial nephritis (MESH:D009395), Henoch-Schonlein purpura (MESH:D011695), mesangial proliferative (MESH:C537346), immune-mediated diseases (MESH:C567355), Hypoalbuminemia (MESH:D034141), AKI (MESH:D058186), heavy chain deposition disease (MESH:D006362), nephritis (MESH:D009393), NS (MESH:D056770), azotemia (MESH:D053099), proteinuria (MESH:D011507), Ig (MESH:D005922), small vessel thrombosis (MESH:D059345), fibrinoid necrosis (MESH:D038261), sensorineural hearing loss (MESH:D006319), MCTD (MESH:D008947), hemolysis (MESH:D006461), scleroderma renal crisis (MESH:D012595), SLE (MESH:D008180), renal vein thrombosis (MESH:D012170), albuminuria (MESH:D000419), Alport syndrome (MESH:D009394), GN (MESH:D005921), ascites (MESH:D001201), ENT (MESH:D010038), GPA (MESH:D014890), microscopic polyangiitis (MESH:D055953), viral infections (MESH:D014777)
- **Chemicals:** paraffin (MESH:D010232), salt (MESH:D012492), aldosterone (MESH:D000450), triglycerides (MESH:D014280), phospholipids (MESH:D010743), water (MESH:D014867), cholesterol (MESH:D002784), bile salts (MESH:D001647), mTORi (-), sodium (MESH:D012964), Cr (MESH:D002857), amino acids (MESH:D000596), fatty acid esters (MESH:D005227), creatinine (MESH:D003404)
- **Species:** hepatitis C virus [taxon 11103], Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (no rank) [taxon 2697049], Hepatitis B virus (no rank) [taxon 10407], Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (no rank) [taxon 11676], Human immunodeficiency virus (species) [taxon 12721], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12919384/full.md

## References

57 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12919384/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12919384