A 5-Year-Old Boy Is Brought to the Office by His

A 5-year-old boy is brought to the office by his mother, who notes that her son's eyes and feet have looked puffy over the last several weeks.  The boy has no pain but mentions that his shoes seem to fit tightly and bother him, especially when he runs outside during recess at school.  The mother also remarks that the boy's urine has been excessively foamy recently.    Physical examination is remarkable for periorbital edema and lower extremity edema.  Urinalysis shows 4+ proteinuria but is otherwise unremarkable. Which of the following mechanisms is the most likely cause of this patient's abnormal laboratory findings?

A) Impaired tubular reabsorption of filtered proteins
B) Increased filtration of plasma proteins
C) Inflammation of the urinary tract
D) Necrosis of skeletal muscle fibers
E) Overproduction of low-molecular-weight proteins

Correct Answer:

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