WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF FSGS AND OTHER GLOMERALAR DISEASES?
Please look at Patient Information Sheet.

WHAT SHOULD MY NEXT STEP BE IF I AM DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISEASE?
Go to a kidney specialist, a nephrologists, who is familiar with the findings and treatment of the disease.

WHAT CAUSES KIDNEY DISEASE?
Please look at Patient Information Sheet.

ARE CERTAIN GENDER AND RACES MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO KIDNEY DISEASE?
African Americans are more likely to get certain kidney diseases such as those due to Focal Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), lupus nephritis, and diabetes and hypertension. On the other hand, Caucasians are more likely to get another common kidney disease IgA nephropathy. At the Glomerular Center at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, we are working very hard to find out why there are these biologic or genetic differences.

WHAT ARE THE SURVIVAL RATES OF PEOPLE WITH THIS DISEASE?
Survival rates are excellent for patients who experience a remission of their FSGS. They are not as good if they develop resistant disease and need dialysis or a transplant.

DOES THIS EFFECT ALL AGES?
Yes, children may develop FSGS as well as adults.

WHAT ARE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROCEDURES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR KIDNEY DISEASE?
We initially treat FSGS with medications to try and reduce the protein leakage. If this is unsuccessful, patients may progress to dialysis or transplantation.

ARE THERE ACTIVITIES THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISEASE?
If a patient has FSGS he or she must watch their hydration status and diet, but they can have regular activity unless the disease advances toward renal failure.

ARE THERE FOODS THAT SHOULD BE AVOIDED IF DIAGNOSED WITH THIS DISEASE?
Patients with FSGS tend to retain salt and water and must limit their intake of salt. They also often have high cholesterol so good healthy diet is important in fighting this disease.

IS KIDNEY DISEASE HEREDITARY?
Some forms of FSGS are hereditary. We can test for these at the Glomerular Center even though the tests are really mostly research tools at this point. Most cases of FSGS are not hereditary and we do not know why patients get the disease. It seems nothing to do with profession, life-style, infections, etc.

WHAT HAPPENS IF MY BODY DOES NOT ACCEPT THE MEDICATIONS TO FIGHT THIS DISEASE?
If the patient cannot tolerate one medication we have others that we can use. However, all of the treatments have side effects, and some patients require many medications and pills every day.