Renal glycosuria

Renal glycosuria, also known as renal glucosuria, is a rare condition in which the simple sugar glucose is excreted in the urine despite normal or low blood glucose levels. With normal kidney (renal) function, glucose is excreted in the urine only when there are abnormally elevated levels of glucose in the blood. However, in those with renal glycosuria, glucose is abnormally elevated in the urine due to improper functioning of the renal tubules, which are primary components of nephrons, the filtering units of the kidneys.

Causes

Renal glycosuria is usually caused by a defect in the tubules of the kidneys. The condition can be inherited, but it can also occur in people with no family history of the disorder. Some people may have a mild form of the disease and not have any symptoms. In these cases, the condition is often detected during a routine urine test.

Symptoms

Most people with renal glycosuria do not have symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they may include excessive urination (polyuria), excessive thirst (polydipsia), and glucose in the urine (glycosuria). These symptoms are often mild and may not be noticed by the person with the condition.

Diagnosis

Renal glycosuria is diagnosed through urine tests that show glucose in the urine when blood glucose levels are normal or low. Other tests may be done to rule out diabetes and other conditions that can cause glucose to be in the urine.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for renal glycosuria. The condition does not cause kidney damage or reduce life expectancy, and in most cases, no treatment is necessary. If symptoms are present, they can often be managed by drinking plenty of fluids and eating a balanced diet.

See also

• Diabetes mellitus
• Kidney disease
• Renal tubular acidosis
• Fanconi syndrome

References

Renal glycosuria Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.