What are the significant signs associated with nephrotic syndrome?

Nephrotic syndrome is characterized by a specific set of clinical features stemming from underlying kidney damage, leading to the impairment of its filtering capability. The significant signs associated with nephrotic syndrome primarily include hyperlipidemia, which is an increase in cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, and lipiduria, the presence of lipids in the urine. These two features are crucial in the diagnosis and understanding of nephrotic syndrome, as they result from excessive protein loss associated with kidney damage.

In nephrotic syndrome, the glomeruli in the kidneys become highly permeable, leading to significant proteinuria (the loss of proteins, especially albumin, in the urine). This loss of protein leads to a decrease in the osmotic pressure within the bloodstream, causing fluid to leak into the interstitial spaces and resulting in edema. To compensate for the low albumin levels, the liver increases lipid production, which results in hyperlipidemia. Lipiduria occurs as these lipids spill over into urine due to the glomerular permeability changes.

The other options present signs or symptoms that are not typically associated with nephrotic syndrome or highlight conditions that might require further context. For example, hematuria and pyuria may suggest glomer