Quan, a 12-year-old boy from Ho Chi Minh City, had a sudden onset of difficulty breathing and swelling all over his body. He also gained an astonishing 4 kg weight in just three days. His family initially thought he had a sore throat and treated him with fever-reducing medicine. However, after the fever and cough subsided, Quan returned to school without any issues.
Last week, Quan’s symptoms worsened with facial swelling, reduced urination, rapid weight gain up to 55 kg, and overall body swelling. Concerned by these symptoms, his family brought him from Nha Trang to Ho Chi Minh City for a medical examination. Upon arriving at Tan Son Nhat airport, Quan suffered from headaches and difficulty breathing, requiring emergency treatment at Tam Anh General Hospital.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Hien of the Department of Pediatrics explained that Quan presented with rapid breathing, body edema, gross hematuria, and high blood pressure. The doctor identified pleural effusion, diffuse interstitial lung damage, and a urine test revealed hematuria and nephrotic-range proteinuria. Quan was diagnosed with acute glomerulonephritis following a streptococcal infection.
Acute glomerulonephritis is a condition where the kidneys struggle to filter waste and fluid from the body due to damage to the glomeruli, leading to edema. In Quan’s case, the disease was not identified early on, resulting in complications like high blood pressure, difficulty breathing
