Infection
An increased susceptibility to infection may be secondary to a number of factors:
- Loss of IgG in the urine, impaired synthesis and tubular catabolism and urinary loss of factor B
- The result is a susceptibility to encapsulated organisms such as pneumococcus which are normally opsonized by antibodies.
- Reduced zinc and transferrin concentrations
- Skin oedema predisposes to cellulitis
- Ascites and pleural effusions
- Decreased cell mediated immunity
- Malnutrition
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