IgA nephropathy: the most common glomerular disease
Dr. Joan J. Morales Lappot, MD3 min read · Leer en español
In briefIgA nephropathy (also called Berger disease) is the most common type of glomerulonephritis worldwide. It often appears in young adults and can stay quiet for years.
What happens
IgA is an antibody that normally protects the lining of the nose, throat and gut. In this condition, an altered form of IgA forms clumps that get stuck in the kidney filters (glomeruli), causing inflammation.
How it shows up
- Brown or cola-colored urine, often a day or two after a cold or sore throat
- Blood or protein found on a routine urine test
- Foamy urine or swelling
- High blood pressure in a young person
The diagnosis is confirmed with a kidney biopsy, which also shows how active the disease is.
- Your urine turns dark or red
- You notice new swelling
- Your home blood pressure is consistently high
Treatment
The foundation is protecting the kidneys: blood pressure control, medicines that lower protein in the urine (ACE inhibitors or ARBs, and often an SGLT2 inhibitor), less salt and no smoking. For people at higher risk, newer targeted treatments have been approved in recent years, and steroids or other immune treatments are used in selected cases. Because this field is changing quickly, care is tailored to each person's biopsy, protein level and risk.