Alport Syndrome Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

Alport Syndrome relates to kidneys and is a medical problem known as nephritis which is hereditary. The syndrome all begins within the glomeruli of the kidneys, the tiny blood vessels which filter wastes. Alport's Syndrome is one of those diseases that is quiet at first, and produces no symptoms. But as the disease progresses, symptoms will begin to appear. This is due to the fact that the kidneys are slowly becoming destroyed, and wastes along with liquids build up in the body.

Typically, the symptoms are:

The urine starts to turn into abnormal colors

There is edema which means swelling in the legs, arms, and also ankles

There is blood in the urine

Most people will have a cough due to fluid build-up.

Swelling in other places such as in the face

It is common to experience losses in hearing as well

Medical treatment and care of Alport Syndrome involves a doctor of nephrology, which is a kidney doctor. The condition will need to be monitored and medications will be needed for the symptoms that often start to appear and the resulting urinary tract infections.

The blood pressure will be high very likely. Many kidney problems always tend to cause a person high blood pressure. The blood pressure will have to be treated and carefully monitored as well, along with everything else.

Alport Syndrome is more common in males than it is females. There is a certain gene mutation responsible for it that is part of connective tissues. If women have the gene, they can pass it on to the unborn child.

Diagnosing Alport Syndrome involves several types of tests. One of the first test a kidney specialist will do is test the urine for any blood present. he or she will also be looking for protein in the urine, and if present, to what degree. Protein in the urine is one sign of losing kidney function. The greater the protein secretion, the more the kidneys are losing their functioning.

Essential blood tests are creatnine and BUN, which is blood urea nitrogen. If the creatnine levels and urea nitrogen keep on the rise, this is another sign of kidney deterioration.

If a renal biopsy is taken from tissue of the kidneys, this will spell out the whole picture for the doctor as to what is happening in the glomeruli with glomerulonephritis.

Complications from this disorder can easily be complete kidney failure known as end-stage-renal-disease. As a result of that occurring, dialysis will be needed until a kidney transplant can be done.