The Nephrotic Syndrome

THE "nephrotic syndrome" is one of the most striking phenomena of renal disease. The combination of gross edema, hypoproteinemia, hypercholesterolemia, lipidemia and heavy proteinuria, in the absence of congestive heart failure, is unique and easily recognized. It frequently appears during the course of chronic diffuse glomerulonephritis (the nephrotic phase).1 Other causes are renal amyloidosis, syphilis, intercapillary glomerulosclerosis and renal-vein thrombosis. In children and young adults the syndrome occasionally develops in the absence of renal disease as so-called "pure," "genuine" or lipoid nephrosis. A prolonged debate has centered about this entity. It is claimed on the one hand that the disorder . . .