IgA Nephropathy

Abstract

Through the immunoflurescence study on 368 renal biopsy specimen that were collected between the year of 1979 and 1981, we found 94 cases of IgA nephropathy without evidence of systemic diseases, thus showing 27.8% relative frequency among primary glomerulonephritides among Koreans. The deposits were IgA alone in 27.7%, IgA-IgG combination in 42.55'6, IgA-IgM in 14. 9?6 and IgA-IgG-IgM in 11. 9%. Early complement C.l deposits were seen in 2 cases. The glomerular morphological patterns were: minor change with increased mesangial matrix and cells in 51. 0?6, diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in 19.290, focal and segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis in 11. 7?6, and diffuse sclerosing glomerulonephritis in 9. 6?6 of the cases. Areas of sclerosis were seen in 75.5?6 and crescents in 23.496. Morphologic severity was not related to age. Electron dense deposits were seen in mesangium in all cases. with less amounts of subendothelial deposits in 36%, and subepithelial humps in 6?0. Clinically the common presentations were proteinuria, microscopic and gross hematuria. Nephrotic range proteinuria was seen in 20. 2%, impaired renal function test in 13.8%, hypertension in 18.196, and abnormal urinary casts in 18. 15'6 of cases. It is assumed that IgA nephropathy is fairly common disease among the Korean population, and might be the commonest primary glomerular disease in this country, and it might represent significant proportion of advanced clinical and morphological manifestations.