How to maintain health with IgA nephropathy normally?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on March 11, 2025
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This is a pathological type of chronic glomerulonephritis, which is a diagnostic term in immunopathology and essentially represents chronic glomerulonephritis. The severity of this disease can vary, as can its clinical manifestations. Patients should avoid catching colds in their daily life by staying warm and not seeking cool environments. It is important to maintain a distance from people who are already sick to avoid close contact. In terms of diet, patients should eat low-salt, low-fat, and high-quality low-protein foods, and control their salt intake, but not completely avoid salt. Also, they should avoid eating too much greasy and fatty food.

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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 Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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Is IgA nephropathy sexually transmitted?

IgA nephropathy, a type of chronic glomerulonephritis, does not transmit through sexual intercourse. This condition involves a sterile inflammatory response within the glomeruli of the kidneys, not caused by pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Instead, it results from an immune dysfunction, causing inflammation in the glomeruli without any infectious agents. Therefore, IgA nephropathy is not contagious, and sexual intercourse does not pose a risk of transmitting the condition to a sexual partner. As such, patients with IgA nephropathy can engage in sexual activities if their physical condition permits.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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How is IgA nephropathy diagnosed?

The diagnosis of IgA nephropathy relies on pathological examination. The name "IgA nephropathy" itself is a term used in immunopathological diagnosis, describing a type of chronic glomerulonephritis. There are many reasons that can cause inflammatory reactions in the kidneys, and the underlying mechanisms of the disease vary. Specifically, IgA nephropathy refers to the abnormal deposition of IgA immune complexes in the mesangial areas of the glomeruli. Therefore, a pathological examination is necessary for diagnosis. Typically, under a light microscope, proliferation of mesangial cells and widening of the mesangial areas can be observed. Additionally, immunofluorescence testing is conducted to detect a large presence of IgA immune complexes in the glomerular mesangial areas, confirming the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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The characteristics of proteinuria in IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is a pathological type of chronic glomerulonephritis, which can cause patients to exhibit symptoms such as proteinuria and hematuria. Regarding the characteristics of proteinuria, it is generally primarily glomerular proteinuria. In the classification of patients' proteinuria, glomerular proteinuria accounts for a large proportion. If IgA nephropathy presents as chronic nephritis or nephrotic syndrome, the patient's level of proteinuria will be quite severe, with significant amounts of proteinuria, where the 24-hour urinary protein quantification may exceed 1g or even reach more than 3.5g. However, not all patients with IgA nephropathy have such high levels of proteinuria; some may only have mild proteinuria.

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Written by Zhou Qi
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How to treat occult blood in IgA nephropathy

IGA disease is a pathological type of chronic glomerulonephritis. This type of glomerular lesion often leads to positive occult blood in urine, and in some cases, may even cause gross hematuria visible to the naked eye. However, the relationship between hematuria and the severity or prognosis of the patient's condition is not very clear, so clinically, hematuria is not considered as a treatment target. Generally, during the active phase of the disease, patients can be treated with corticosteroids and other medications, especially those with more than 1g of protein in a 24-hour urine collection. Otherwise, most patients choose ACE inhibitors or ARBs as antihypertensive drugs to reduce the pressure inside the glomerulus. Additionally, avoiding colds can also help reduce occult blood in urine. (Specific medications should be administered under the guidance of a physician)