Question: What causes IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Scientists think that IgA nephropathy is an autoimmune kidney disease, meaning that the disease is due to the bodys immune system harming the kidneys. People with IgA nephropathy have an increased blood level of IgA that contains less of a special sugar, galactose, than normal. This galactose-deficient IgA is considered foreign by other antibodies circulating in the blood. As a result, these other antibodies attach to the galactose-deficient IgA and form a clump. This clump is also called an immune complex. Some of the clumps become stuck in the glomerulus of the nephron and cause inflammation and damage. For some people, IgA nephropathy runs in families. Scientists have recently found several genetic markers that may play a role in the development of the disease. IgA nephropathy may also be related to respiratory or intestinal infections and the immune systems response to these infections.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How many people are affected by IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: IgA nephropathy is one of the most common kidney diseases, other than those caused by diabetes or high blood pressure.1 IgA nephropathy can occur at any age, although the first evidence of kidney disease most frequently appears when people are in their teens to late 30s.2 IgA nephropathy in the United States is twice as likely to appear in men than in women.3 While found in people all over the world, IgA nephropathy is more common among Asians and Caucasians.4 A person may be more likely to develop IgA nephropathy if - he or she has a family history of IgA nephropathy or Henoch-Schnlein purpuraa disease that causes small blood vessels in the body to become inflamed and leak - he is a male in his teens to late 30s - he or she is Asian or Caucasian
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the complications of IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Complications of IgA nephropathy include - high blood pressure - acute kidney failuresudden and temporary loss of kidney function - chronic kidney failurereduced kidney function over a period of time - nephrotic syndromea collection of symptoms that indicate kidney damage; symptoms include albuminuria, lack of protein in the blood, and high blood cholesterol levels - heart or cardiovascular problems - Henoch-Schnlein purpura More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics, Kidney Disease and Kidney Failure.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to diagnose IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Currently, health care providers do not use blood or urine tests as reliable ways to diagnose IgA nephropathy; therefore, the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy requires a kidney biopsy. A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of kidney tissue for examination with a microscope. A health care provider performs a kidney biopsy in a hospital or an outpatient center with light sedation and a local anesthetic. The health care provider uses imaging techniques such as ultrasound or a computerized tomography scan to guide the biopsy needle into the kidney. A pathologista doctor who specializes in examining tissues to diagnose diseasesexamines the kidney tissue with a microscope. Only a biopsy can show the IgA deposits in the glomeruli. The biopsy can also show how much kidney damage has already occurred. The biopsy results can help the health care provider determine the best course of treatment.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the treatments for IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Researchers have not yet found a specific cure for IgA nephropathy. Once the kidneys are scarred, they cannot be repaired. Therefore, the ultimate goal of IgA nephropathy treatment is to prevent or delay end-stage kidney disease. A health care provider may prescribe medications to - control a persons blood pressure and slow the progression of kidney disease - remove extra fluid from a persons blood - control a persons immune system - lower a persons blood cholesterol levels Control Blood Pressure and Slow Progression of Kidney Disease People with IgA nephropathy that is causing high blood pressure may need to take medications that lower blood pressure and can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medicationsangiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)have proven effective in slowing the progression of kidney disease. Many people require two or more medications to control their blood pressure. A person may also need beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other blood pressure medications. Remove Extra Fluid A health care provider may prescribe a diuretic, a medication that helps the kidneys remove extra fluid from the blood. Removing the extra fluid can improve the control of blood pressure. Taking a diuretic along with an ACE inhibitor or an ARB often increases the effectiveness of these medications. Control the Immune System Health care providers sometimes use medications to control a persons immune system. Since inflammation is the immune systems normal response, controlling the immune system can decrease inflammation. Health care providers may prescribe the following medications: - corticosteroids, such as prednisone - cyclophosphamide Lower Blood Cholesterol Levels People with IgA nephropathy may develop high blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is a type of fat found in the bodys cells, in blood, and in many foods. People who take medications for high blood cholesterol levels can lower their blood cholesterol levels. A health care provider may prescribe one of several cholesterol-lowering medications called statins.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How to prevent IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Researchers have not found a way to prevent IgA nephropathy. People with a family history of IgA nephropathy should talk with their health care provider to find out what steps they can take to keep their kidneys healthy, such as controlling their blood pressure and keeping their blood cholesterol at healthy levels.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: Researchers have not found that eating, diet, and nutrition play a role in causing or preventing IgA nephropathy. Health care providers may recommend that people with kidney disease, such as IgA nephropathy, make dietary changes such as - limiting dietary sodium, often from salt, to help reduce edema and lower blood pressure - decreasing liquid intake to help reduce edema and lower blood pressure - eating a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol to help control high levels of lipids, or fats, in the blood Health care providers may also recommend that people with kidney disease eat moderate or reduced amounts of protein, although the benefit of reducing protein in a persons diet is still being researched. Proteins break down into waste products the kidneys must filter from the blood. Eating more protein than the body needs may burden the kidneys and cause kidney function to decline faster. However, protein intake that is too low may lead to malnutrition, a condition that occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients. People with kidney disease on a restricted protein diet should receive blood tests that can show nutrient levels. Some researchers have shown that fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids may slow kidney damage in some people with kidney disease by lowering blood pressure. Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce inflammation and slow kidney damage due to IgA nephropathy. To help ensure coordinated and safe care, people should discuss their use of complementary and alternative medical practices, including their use of dietary supplements and probiotics, with their health care provider. Read more at www.nccam.nih.gov/health/supplements. People with IgA nephropathy should talk with a health care provider about dietary changes to best manage their individual needs.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for IgA Nephropathy ?
Answer: - Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, also known as Bergers disease, is a kidney disease that occurs when IgA deposits build up in the kidneys, causing inflammation that damages kidney tissues. - Scientists think that IgA nephropathy is an autoimmune kidney disease, meaning that the disease is due to the bodys immune system attacking tissues in the kidney. - IgA nephropathy is one of the most common kidney diseases, other than those caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. - In its early stages, IgA nephropathy may have no symptoms; it can be silent for years or even decades. - Once symptoms appear, the most common one is hematuria, or blood in the urine. - Another symptom of IgA nephropathy is albuminuriawhen a persons urine contains an increased amount of albumin, a protein typically found in the blood, or large amounts of protein in the urine. - Currently, health care providers do not use blood or urine tests as reliable ways to diagnose IgA nephropathy; therefore, the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy requires a kidney biopsy. - Researchers have not yet found a specific cure for IgA nephropathy.
Source: NIDDK