IgA nephrology is a common misspelling of IgA nephropathy, a kidney disease caused by IgA building up in the glomeruli, leading to kidney damage and possible failure. Symptoms vary, but treatment aims to delay progression and prevent complications such as high blood pressure. Some people may eventually require a kidney transplant.
IgA nephrology is actually a common misspelling for the name of the kidney disease IgA nephropathy. Nephrology is a term used to describe the area of medicine concerned with the kidneys, while nephropathy refers to disease affecting the kidneys. Since the term IgA nephropathy looks a lot like IgA nephropathy, it is not unknown for people who are actually looking for information about IgA nephropathy to accidentally type phrases like IgA nephrology treatment and IgA nephrology disease into search engines. IgA nephropathy is also known as sympapharyngitis glomerulonephritis or Berger’s disease. The condition involves a substance known as immunoglobulin A, or IgA, building up within parts of the kidney known as the glomeruli, a process that can lead to progressive damage and eventual kidney failure.
Glomeruli are tiny nodes of blood vessels that filter blood during the process of urine formation. IgA nephropathy develops when IgA binds to the mesangial cells that support and surround the glomeruli. In about a third of cases, IgA triggers a reaction that causes inflammation and scarring of the glomeruli and progressive kidney damage. Medical treatment can delay progression, but some people will eventually require a kidney transplant.
Symptoms of IgA nephropathy can vary, and some people will have no obvious signs of the condition, but microscopic amounts of blood may be present in the urine. This blood can be discovered by accident during a routine urine test. In other cases, blood is easily seen in the urine and usually appears at the same time as a respiratory infection.
Being part of the immune system, IgA is what is known as an antibody, which normally helps the body fight off disease. It is not known why IgA sometimes builds up in the kidneys or why it causes kidney damage. The diagnosis of IgA nephropathy can be made by measuring the levels of IgA in the blood. A sample of kidney tissue can then be taken and examined under a microscope to determine if IgA is present. Inspection of the sample can also show whether IgA has caused inflammation of the kidney tissue and, if so, to what extent.
Treatment of IgA nephropathy aims to delay the progression of IgA nephritis and prevent possible complications, such as increased blood pressure. High blood pressure can in itself lead to further damage to the kidneys and also carries an increased risk of stroke or heart attack. Medications can be used to control blood pressure and keep it within normal limits.
The outlook for a person with IgA nephropathy can be estimated at the time of diagnosis, and about two-thirds of people are unlikely to have progressive kidney damage. For those who suffer such damage, the course of IgA nephropathy is slow and can progress for up to two to three decades before the kidneys fail. You may then need kidney dialysis and a kidney transplant.
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