Complement 3 (C3) glomerulopathy is a rare disease that affects your kidneys – the organs that filter waste from your blood. It's a progressive condition, which means that it gradually causes more and more damage to these critical organs.
C3 glomerulopathy progresses differently in each person. Some people live with this condition for many years without any symptoms or problems. Others have symptoms but no damage to their kidneys. And some people progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), which is when their kidneys can't filter blood at all.
A kidney specialist called a nephrologist can help you manage C3 glomerulopathy. The doctor will let you know what to expect and put you on a treatment plan to slow disease progression and relieve your symptoms.
How C3 Glomerulopathy Progresses
C3 glomerulopathy is a disease of the complement system, a part of the immune system that protects your body from infections. This system is made up of many proteins that help your immune system attack bacteria and other germs.
When the complement system doesn't work the way it should, a protein called C3 and similar proteins build up in your kidneys. Pieces of these proteins inflame and scar the tiny filters in your kidneys called glomeruli.
Over time, C3 glomerulopathy can permanently damage the kidneys. You're more likely to have kidney damage if you've lived with the condition for many years or if it's severe.
Your kidneys normally filter fluid and waste from your blood into your urine. Damage from C3 glomerulopathy reduces the amount of filtering your kidneys can do, which leads to waste building up in the blood.
As the disease goes on, it can damage your kidneys so that they can't filter blood at all. This is called end-stage kidney disease. At this point, your kidneys also can't do their other jobs, like keeping the right balance of fluids and electrolytes in your body and making hormones.
The Symptoms of Disease Progression
C3 glomerulopathy symptoms happen because of damage to the kidneys and other parts of your body. Although the disease sometimes starts in childhood, some people don't have any symptoms until they're adults.
Any new or changing symptoms could signal that your disease is getting worse, your kidneys are damaged, or you're in kidney failure. That's why it's important to watch for C3 glomerulopathy symptoms like these and tell your doctor about them.
Red, pink, or brown urine. Damaged glomeruli may leak small amounts of blood into your urine. Doctors call this symptom hematuria.
Foamy urine. Foam in your pee is a sign of too much protein, called proteinuria. The urine might also be a darker color than usual.
Reduced urine. As C3 glomerulopathy progresses, the kidneys may not make as much urine. You may not need to go to the bathroom as often. And less urine comes out when you do use the bathroom.
Swelling in the feet, ankles, and hands. When the kidneys don't work well, they can't remove enough fluid from your body. Swelling from fluid buildup is called edema.
Joint pain. Your kidneys normally remove the waste product uric acid from your blood. When they can't remove enough uric acid, it sometimes builds up in joints and forms painful crystals. Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by uric acid crystals in the joints.
Tiredness. Damaged kidneys can't remove enough wastes from the blood. Having too much waste in your body can make you feel tired.
Signs that you're in kidney failure include:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Trouble sleeping
- Appetite loss
- Dry, itchy skin
- Muscle cramps at night
C3 glomerulopathy also causes symptoms that aren't related to your kidneys, like:
- Repeated infections because you don't have enough complement proteins to fight germs
- Vision problems from complement proteins building up in the back of your eye
- Places on your body that have too little fat or too much fat because the complement system has caused a problem with the way your body uses and stores fat
What Happens if Your Kidneys Fail
About half of people with C3 glomerulopathy will develop ESRD within 10 years after their diagnosis. When your kidneys completely fail, wastes and fluid build up in your blood to the point where they can make you very sick.
Having kidney failure doesn't mean your life is over. There are two treatments for kidney failure:
- Dialysis filters wastes and extra fluids out of your blood through a machine or special fluids placed in your belly.
- A kidney transplant is surgery to give you a healthy kidney from a donor.
Your doctor will tell you what to expect if your condition progresses and help you find the best way to manage kidney failure.
Show Sources
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SOURCES:
Mayo Clinic: "Kidney Transplant."
National Kidney Foundation: "Complement 3 Glomerulopathy (C3G)," "Complement 3 Glomerulopathy (C3G): Knowing the Signs and Symptoms," "Dialysis."
National Organization for Rare Disorders: "C3 Glomerulopathy: Dense Deposit Disease and C3 Glomerulonephritis."
Nature Reviews Nephrology: "C3 Glomerulopathy: Understanding a Rare Complement-Driven Renal Disease."
Nephron: "Update on C3 Glomerulopathy: Complement-Mediated Disease."
