Is periorbital edema a sign of nephrotic syndrome?

It can be: Periorbital edema can be one of the initial symptoms of nephrotic syndrome, but it is always accompanied by edema in other parts of the body (legs, chest, abdomen, etc). The diagnosis is made by checking the amount of proteins that are being excreted in the urine, as well as blood tests that measure the protein (albumin) levels. The exact cause should be evaluated by your doctor.