minimal-change nephrotic syndrome

min·i·mal-·change neph·rot·ic syn·drome

nephrotic syndrome with minimal glomerular changes by light or electron microscopy, occurring most frequently in children; marked by edema, albuminuria, and an increase in cholesterol in the blood, but otherwise with fairly good renal function; tubular epithelium is vacuolated by cholesterol droplets, but the glomeruli show only that the foot processes of the glomerular epithelial cells are fused, probably secondary to the proteinuria; the cause of the increased glomerular permeability to plasma protein is unknown.