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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing kidney cross section
Kidney cross section

Glomerulonephritis (glo-mer-u-lo-nuh-FRI-tis) is a type of kidney disease that damages your kidneys' ability to remove waste and excess fluids. Also called glomerular disease, glomerulonephritis can be acute — a sudden attack of inflammation — or chronic — coming on gradually.

If glomerulonephritis occurs on its own, it's known as primary glomerulonephritis. If another disease, such as lupus or diabetes, is the cause, it's called secondary glomerulonephritis. Treatment depends on the type of glomerulonephritis you have.

References
  1. Your kidneys and how they work. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/yourkidneys/index.htm#rate. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
  2. Glomerulonephritis. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=65. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
  3. Glomerular diseases. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/glomerular/. Accessed Jan. 29, 2009.
  4. Introduction: Glomerular diseases. The Merck Manuals Online Library: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch235/ch235a.html#S17_CH2. Accessed Feb. 3, 2009.
  5. Rose BD, et al. Differential diagnosis of glomerular disease. http://www.uptodate.com/online/content/topic.do?topicKey=glom_dis/11. Accessed Feb. 3, 2009.
  6. Nachman PH, et al. Primary Glomular Disease. In: Brenner BM, et al. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/125541428-3/815444355/1583/33.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3105-5..50032-3--cesec59_1945 Accessed March 12, 2009.

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April 4, 2009

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