Master Minimal Change Disease with Picmonic for Physician Assistant

Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms including massive proteinuria defined as a daily loss of 3.5 gm or more of protein, hyperlipidemia, generalized edema, and hypoalbuminemia which results from renal pathology.

Minimal change is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children.

This disease is typically triggered by a recent infection or immune stimulus, like a prophylactic immunization.

This disease is characterized by diffuse effacement of foot processes, called podocytes of visceral epithelial cells. This podocyte effacement is visible with examination by electron microscopy, while the glomeruli appear virtually normal by light microscopy.

This disease is characterized by diffuse effacement of foot processes, called podocytes of visceral epithelial cells. This podocyte effacement is visible with examination by electron microscopy, while the glomeruli appear virtually normal by light microscopy.

In minimal change disease, the glomerular basement membrane loses its negative charge, which makes it unable to repel the negatively charged albumin. Therefore, this form of nephrotic syndrome is characterized by selective loss of albumin with minimal loss of immunoglobulins.

In minimal change disease, the glomerular basement membrane loses its negative charge, which makes it unable to repel the negatively charged albumin. Therefore, this form of nephrotic syndrome is characterized by selective loss of albumin with minimal loss of immunoglobulins.

Minimal change disease has dramatic response to corticosteroid therapy. Therefore, patients should be started on corticosteroids if minimal change is suspected, and if the response is inadequate, an alternative diagnosis should be suspected.