[Secondary nephrotic syndrome due to preeclampsia]

Severe preeclampsia is sometimes associated with nephrotic syndrome. As pathological finding of kidney in preeclampsia, the endotheliosis in glomerulus and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis have been described. These findings disappear frequently within 40 days after delivery. Proteinuria is originated from the damage of charge and pore selectivity. Some immunological changes such as presence of autoantibodies and Th1 predominance have been reported in preeclampsia. In preeclampsia with proteinuria, high incidence of intrauterine growth retardation is found. In preeclamptic patients with proteinuria of greater than 5 g/24 hour, perinatal mortality rate becomes high. When the preeclamptic patients have hematuria or high titer of serum IgA, renal diseases are frequently complicated with preeclampsia.