Question

The nurse is caring for a 4-year-old child with suspected renal disorder. The diagnostic tests indicate massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia. What should the nurse suspect?

Answer 1

Presence of proteins in the urine is the abnormal condition condition called proteinuria more than 3.5 g/24 h). In massive proteinuria there are chances of the kidney disease like glomerulonephritis and other significant nephrotic syndromes. In massive proteinuria the proteins like albumin leak from the blood into the urinary filtration i.e. urine.

And further it leads the condition of the hypoalbuminemia means the low level of the albumin protein in the blood, which further affect the protein binding capacity of the body and thus alter the activity level of the most of the drugs which are prone for the protein binding. It further also signifies the hepatic as well as the renal impairment in this patient case. Moreover the hyperlipidemia is also seen in the case of the kidney damage in most of the patients. In this case there is increased level of the free fatty acids, lipoproteins and cholesterol above the normal levels. It signifies the chronic kidney diseases. It leads to increased level of triglycerides and low level of HDL as it leads to the down regulation of the lipase enzyme.

Hence on the basis of the given findings the nurse should suspect for the kidney disease like glomerulonephritis, renal and kidney impairment as well as chronic kidney disease in the patient.