[History of nephrotic syndrome]

The history of nephrotic syndrome can go back to beginning of the era. In old Alexandria, urine was conceived to be produced in kidneys. In 1827, Bright classified diseases with proteinuria into three categories, and lipoid nephrosis seemed to be included in group 1. Mechanisms of urinary protein leakage have been in great controvesies, and nowadays defects of slit-membrane protein are supposed to play important roles. In the middle of the 20th centuries, electron microscopy and renal biopsy technique were adopted in practical use. Since then, the treatment and research of nephrotic syndrome have been remarkably progressed. Clinical strategies including diet therapy, immuno-suppressive and antihypertensive drugs and other modalities have improved the prognosis of nephrotic syndrome.