Learn About Minimal Change Disease
Minimal change disease is a kidney disorder that can lead to nephrotic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms that include protein in the urine, low blood protein levels in the blood, high cholesterol levels, high triglyceride levels, and swelling.
Minimal change nephrotic syndrome; Nil disease; Lipoid nephrosis; Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome of childhood
Each kidney is made of more than a million units called nephrons, which filter blood and produce urine.
In minimal change disease, there is damage to the glomeruli. These are the tiny blood vessels inside the nephron where blood is filtered to make urine and waste is removed. The disease gets its name because this damage is not visible under a regular microscope. It can only be seen under a very powerful microscope called an electron microscope.
Minimal change disease is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children. It is also seen in adults with nephrotic syndrome, but is less common.
The cause is unknown, but the disease may occur after or be related to:
- Allergic reactions
- Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Tumors
- Vaccinations (flu and pneumococcal, though rare)
- Viral infections
There may be symptoms of nephrotic syndrome, including:
- Foamy appearance of the urine
- Poor appetite
- Swelling (especially around the eyes, feet and ankles, and in the abdomen)
- Weight gain (from fluid retention)
Minimal change disease does not reduce the amount of urine produced. It rarely progresses to kidney failure.
Medicines called corticosteroids (or steroids) can cure minimal change disease in most children. Some children may need to stay on steroids to keep the disease from returning.
Steroids are effective in adults, but less so in children. Adults may have more frequent relapses and become dependent on steroids.
If steroids are not effective, the provider will likely suggest other medicines.
Swelling may be treated with:
- ACE inhibitor medicines
- Blood pressure control
- Diuretics (water pills)
You may also be told to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.
Cleveland Clinic Main Campus
John Sedor is a Nephrologist in Cleveland, Ohio. Dr. Sedor has been practicing medicine for over 51 years and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Minimal Change Disease. His top areas of expertise are Minimal Change Disease, Nephrotic Syndrome, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, Glomerulonephritis, and Kidney Transplant.
Duke Children's Health Center Kidney Transplant Clinic
I am a pediatric nephrologist and work with children with kidney disease. Some of the conditions that we see include congenital malformations of the kidney and the bladder, nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis (inflammation of the kidney filters), and children who are on dialysis or who received kidney transplantation because of kidney failure. I listen carefully to parents when they bring their children to the clinic because they know their children better than any other person, and they are the best advocates for their child. I collaborate a lot with the other doctors in the clinic. Rest assured, when you visit our clinic and I am not around, the doctor who is seeing you knows everything about your child. This is a group practice with a very caring multidisciplinary team. Dr. Gbadegesin is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Minimal Change Disease. His top areas of expertise are Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, Nephrotic Syndrome, Minimal Change Disease, Glomerulonephritis, and Kidney Transplant.
Atrium Health Levine Children's Nephrology
Susan Massengill is a Pediatric Nephrologist and a Pediatrics provider in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Massengill is rated as a Distinguished provider by MediFind in the treatment of Minimal Change Disease. Her top areas of expertise are Nephrotic Syndrome, Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis, Minimal Change Disease, Glomerulonephritis, and Kidney Transplant. Dr. Massengill is currently accepting new patients.
Children usually respond better to corticosteroids than adults. Children often respond within the first month of treatment.
A relapse can occur. The condition may improve after long-term treatment with corticosteroids and medicines that suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants).
Contact your provider if:
- You develop symptoms of minimal change disease
- You have this disorder and your symptoms get worse
- You develop new symptoms, including side effects from the medicines used to treat the disorder
Summary: This is a parallel, Phase 2a, double-blind, 6-arm study for the treatment of primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) or primary minimal change disease (MCD). The purpose of this study is to measure the change in proteinuria and its impact on the rates of remission of nephrotic syndrome with frexalimab, SAR442970, or rilzabrutinib compared with placebo in participants with primary FSGS or...
Summary: In a monocentric, later multicentric prospective approach the FOrMe registry (The German Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis and Minimal Change Disease Registry) aims to generate a longitudinal cohort of 150 pediatric cases of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome and 350 adult cases of biopsy-proven Minimal Change Disease (MCD) or Focal and Segmental Glomerular Sclerosis (FSGS) over 10 years. The registry...
Published Date: December 31, 2023
Published By: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Erkan E. Nephrotic syndrome. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 567.
Radhakrishnan J, Appel GB, D'Agati VD. Secondary glomerular disease. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 32.