Can IgA nephropathy be cured?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 09, 2024
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IgA nephropathy cannot be completely cured. IgA nephropathy is a type of chronic glomerulonephritis and is a chronic disease. Currently, it is incurable in medical practice. However, many patients have only mild symptoms, such as mild hematuria, proteinuria, and minor kidney damage, and timely long-term management of the disease usually does not lead to severe consequences. Some patients, on the other hand, have relatively severe conditions and require treatment with steroid medications. Most of these patients can achieve relatively good treatment outcomes and ultimately avoid severe kidney failure. However, a very small number of patients may eventually experience significant proteinuria and even severe renal failure.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Can IgA nephropathy stage 2 be cured?

IgA nephropathy is an immunopathological diagnostic term for chronic glomerulonephritis, indicating that the patient has chronic nephritis. In fact, chronic nephritis does not have a concept of complete cure. Stage two patients indicate that the inflammatory reaction within the glomerulus is not very severe, but the patient may also show more proteinuria. In most cases, the renal function of these patients is still normal, and it may be necessary to decide whether to choose medications such as corticosteroids based on the amount of proteinuria. If the patient responds well to medication, the proteinuria may significantly decrease, or even turn negative, but it cannot be completely cured, as this is a chronic disease, and there is also a possibility of relapse in the later stages of the disease. (Please follow the doctor's orders regarding medication use.)

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
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IgA nephropathy stages 1, 2, 3 criteria

According to the standards of the World Health Organization, IgA nephropathy is classified into five stages pathologically. The first stage is where most glomeruli appear normal under light microscopy, with only minor mesangial proliferation or associated cellular proliferation, generally showing slight changes without damage to the tubules and interstitium; The second stage indicates mild lesions where over fifty percent of the glomeruli are normal, with only a small portion of the glomeruli showing mesangial cell proliferation, glomerular sclerosis adhesion, and other changes, without the formation of crescents; The third stage is focal segmental glomerulonephritis, characterized by diffuse proliferation of mesangial cells and widening of the mesangial areas, with the lesions exhibiting focal segmental changes and comparatively mild interstitial lesions.

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Written by Hu Lin
Nephrology
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IgA kidney disease symptoms

The clinical manifestations of IgA nephropathy are diverse. The most common clinical manifestations include episodic gross hematuria, asymptomatic hematuria, and proteinuria. Episodic gross hematuria often occurs several hours after an upper respiratory tract infection, or a day or two later. Patients may notice that their urine is dark tea-colored, brown, or fresh red, light red, and this type of gross hematuria tends to recur. The second type is asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, with or without proteinuria, also known as asymptomatic urinalysis. This is often discovered during physical examinations when patients show no symptoms and tests reveal hidden blood and protein positivity in the urine. The third major category is proteinuria, which in some patients may present as nephrotic syndrome-like proteinuria. The fourth is hypertension; the fifth, acute kidney injury; and the sixth, chronic kidney failure. Most patients with IgA nephropathy gradually progress to chronic kidney failure within 10 to 20 years of diagnosis.

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Written by Ji Kang
Nephrology
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IgA nephropathy is a disease.

IgA nephropathy is the most common type of primary glomerular disease, caused by the deposition of IgA-dominant immunoglobulins in the glomerular mesangial area. It has a short latency period, with symptoms appearing early. Clinical manifestations of IgA nephropathy are diverse, with approximately 40%-50% of patients experiencing macroscopic hematuria hours to two days after precursor symptoms such as upper respiratory tract infections, and some patients also suffer from severe back pain and abdominal pain. About 30%-40% of patients only present with asymptomatic hematuria or proteinuria. Approximately 5%-20% of patients exhibit severe edema and substantial proteinuria, showing symptoms of nephrotic syndrome. At the onset of the disease, about 10% of patients also have hypertension. As the disease progresses, those with hypertension can exceed 40%. Less than 10% of patients may experience acute renal failure.

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
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Foods to Avoid with IgA Nephropathy

IgA nephropathy patients are a very common type of glomerular disease. For IgA nephropathy patients, it is crucial to adhere to a light diet, meaning they should avoid foods such as pickles, salted vegetables, kimchi, cured products, smoked products, and barbecues, focusing primarily on fresh vegetables and fruits. Of course, if IgA nephropathy patients also suffer from renal insufficiency, they must avoid various soy products including tofu, bean sprouts, soybean sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and nut-based foods. These foods contain a lot of plant proteins, which can increase the burden on the kidneys, leading to potential renal insufficiency. Additionally, they should not consume foods high in potassium, such as oranges, bananas, pineapples, etc. Therefore, it is essential for IgA nephropathy patients to be cautious with their diet.