Cholesterol and Edema

The most generally accepted theory explaining the pathogenesis of the nephrotic syndrome is represented by the following diagram:1 ↗Edema Albuminuria → Diminished Blood Protein ↘Lipemia It has been shown conclusively that a low amount of protein in the blood may result from marked, prolonged albuminuria, and that a diminished amount is an important factor in the development of nephrotic edema2largely due to the lowering of the colloidal osmotic pressure of the blood plasma. Numerous studies have been directed toward ascertaining the cause of the albuminuria, the changes in the blood proteins, the changes in the electrolytes, etc. Relatively few investigators, however, have dealt with the association of cholesterol, edema and nephritis. As yet there is no substantiated explanation for lipoidemia, especially cholesterolemia. Whether or not a more intensive study of the lipoid metabolism in the nephrotic syndrome will aid in clearing up the pathogenesis remains to be