Minimal change disease overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Minimal change disease (MCD) is a podocytopathy that reveals foot process effacement on electron microscopy. It is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in children and less commonly in adults. Its name refers to the presence of nephrotic syndrome with the absence of any visible glomerular lesions on light microscopy and the absence of any staining on immunofluorescence, appearing similar to completely normal glomeruli on histopathology. Accordingly, it has also been called nil (nothing-in-light microscopy) disease. Other names, such as lipoid nephrosis (due to the presence of lipid-laden macrophages in the tubular epithelial cells and urine) and steroid-responsive/sensitive nephrotic syndrome (due to its generally excellent response to steroid therapy) may also refer to minimal change disease.