Goodpasture Syndrome is a rare autoimmune disease, in which the body's defense cells attack the kidneys and lungs and mainly cause symptoms such as bloody cough, difficulty breathing and blood loss in the urine.
The causes of Goodpasture's syndrome are not defined, but people who have a family history of this disease, who smoke and who have been exposed to chemicals for a long time, may be more at risk of developing the disease.
Treatment is based on the use of medications such as immunosuppressants and corticosteroids, but in more severe cases, plasmapheresis or hemodialysis may be necessary.
Possible causes
The causes of Goodpasture's syndrome are not defined, but it can happen due to genetic changes transmitted from father to son.
In addition, exposure to chemicals such as pesticides, cigarette smoke and infections caused by viruses can cause the body's defense cells to attack the lungs and kidneys because they are risk factors for developing Goodpasture's syndrome.
Goodpasture's syndrome affects more men than women, aged 20 to 30, and is more common in people with lighter skin.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of Goodpasture Syndrome can be:
- Excessive tiredness; Coughing up blood; Difficulty breathing; Pain when breathing; Increased levels of urea in the blood; Presence of blood and / or foam in the urine; Burning when urinating.
When symptoms appear, it is recommended to seek medical attention quickly for tests and indication of the most appropriate treatment, as the symptoms may worsen if the disease is not treated early.
In addition, other diseases may have symptoms very similar to those of this disease, such as Wegener's granulomatosis, which makes diagnosis difficult. Know the symptoms and how to treat Wegener's granulomatosis.
How to confirm the diagnosis
To diagnose Goodpasture's syndrome, the doctor will assess the person's health history and the duration of symptoms. Then, the doctor will order some tests like kidney biopsy, which is the removal of a small part of the kidney tissue, to find out if there are cells that cause Goodpasture's syndrome.
In addition, other tests, such as blood and urine tests, may be indicated to identify antibodies produced by the body that cause Goodpasture's syndrome. These tests can also help identify substances that indicate kidney malfunction, such as increased urea and creatinine, which are also signs of this syndrome.
X-rays and CT scans can be ordered by your doctor to detect lung damage. See more details on how computed tomography is performed.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of Goodpasture's Syndrome is usually done in a hospital and is based on the use of immunosuppressive drugs and corticosteroids, which prevent the body's defense cells from destroying the kidneys and lungs.
In some cases, treatment by plasmapheresis is indicated, which is a procedure that filters the blood and separates the antibodies that are harmful to the kidney and lung. If the kidneys have been severely affected, hemodialysis or kidney transplantation may be required.
