Nephritic syndrome is typically associated with which diseases?

• A. IgA nephropathy and post-infectious glomerulonephritis
• B. Minimal change disease and diabetic nephropathy
• C. Membranous nephropathy and FSGS
• D. Alport syndrome and polycystic kidney disease

Answer: (C)

Nephritic syndrome reflects an inflammatory glomerular process that leads to hematuria with red blood cell casts, along with oliguria, modest proteinuria, and hypertension. It is most classically seen with immune-complex–mediated glomerulonephritis such as IgA nephropathy and post-infectious glomerulonephritis, where inflammation disrupts the glomerular filtration barrier and allows red blood cells to leak into the urine while filtration is still partly preserved—hence the red blood cells in the urine and the associated signs like HTN.

In contrast, diseases like minimal change disease and diabetic nephropathy are typically nephrotic, presenting with heavy proteinuria, edema, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia. Membranous nephropathy and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis also classically produce nephrotic-range proteinuria. Alport syndrome and polycystic kidney disease don’t fit the nephritic picture as neatly, though they can involve hematuria or kidney dysfunction in other contexts. So the conditions most characteristically linked to nephritic syndrome are IgA nephropathy and post-infectious glomerulonephritis.