Minimal Change Disease (MCD) is a disorder in which there is damage to the glomeruli. A glomerulus (plural – glomeruli) is a cluster of capillaries in the kidney which is responsible for filtering waste products from the blood. Minimal Change Disease is called so because the damage cannot be seen under a light microscope. It can only be seen under an electron microscope. It is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children. It is also seen in adults but is less common.
MCD can be primary/idiopathic (which means that the exact cause is unknown) or secondary (caused by another disease or drug). It is usually primary in children and secondary in adults.
Secondary causes of MCD can be:
Treatment is initially started with a type of drug called corticosteroids, often called steroids. It is generally effective within weeks. A complete remission may occur, but it can recur later in life. Those with recurrent MCD that does not resolve with steroids may require other forms of chemotherapy.
For the symptoms of swelling (edema), you may also receive:
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