Predictors of prognosis in IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy (nephropathy with mesangial IgA and IgG deposits, so-called Berger's disease) is the most common primary chronic glomerulonephritis worldwide, and was first described in 1968. Histopathologically, IgA nephropathy is characterized by expansion of the glomerular mesangial matrix with mesangial cell proliferation and/or mononuclear cell infiltration. Glomeruli typically contain generalized-diffuse granular mesangial deposits of IgA (mainly IgA1), IgG and C3. This disease, therefore, is considered to be an immune-complex-mediated glomerulonephritis although the antigenic agents are still obscure. Clinically, patients with IgA nephropathy show microscopic and macroscopic hematuria and/or proteinuria. Although the clinical course is generally gradual in patients with IgA nephropathy, progression to renal hypertension, renal anemia, and end-stage kidney disease is not as rare as originally thought. Since pathogenesis and radical treatment for IgA nephropathy are still not established, it is necessary to study them using various clinical findings.