Symptoms and Prognosis of IgA Nephropathy

IgA Nephropathy, referring to the inflammation of glomeruli, is characterized by the deposition of IgA and other kinds of immune complex in the mesangial area. It mainly presents the following symptoms.

First, symptoms of IgA Nephropathy

1. Gross hematuria

Gross hematuria usually occurs within 24 ~72 hours after the upper respiratory tract infection. Sometimes, the patients are also accompanied with systemic symptoms such as muscle pain, urination pain, back pain and low fever. The blood red cells are mainly deformed red blood cells. After a few days, the gross hematuria will develop into microscopic hematuria. However, the hematuria usually reoccurs frequently when they encounter infections again.

2. Microscopic hematuria

In some cases, the patients with IgA Nephropathy have microscopic hematuria with or without asymptomatic proteinuria. It is usually noticed when receiving physical examination.

3. Proteinuria

Most of patients with IgA Nephropathy only have mild proteinuria and the protein in urine is less than 1 gram in 24 hours. However, some patients may develop Nephrotic Syndrome and can lose more 3.5 grams of urine protein in 24 hours.

4. Acute nephritic syndrome

Only a minority of patients with IgA Nephropathy may develop acute nephritic syndrome. They may have a mass of protein in urine, persistent gross hematuria, and edema, mild or moderate high blood pressure. What’s worse, their renal function may decline drastically only in several days.

Second, prognosis of IgA Nephropathy

Generally speaking, the prognosis of IgA Nephropathy is good. Its prognosis mainly depends on the following factors.

1. Usually, the prognosis of male patients with IgA Nephropathy is bad. Moreover, the elder the patients are, the worse its prognosis will be.

2. The prognosis of the patients with frequent gross hematuiria is bad.

3. If the patients are accompanied with a mass of protein in urine, the prognosis is bad.

4. If the blood pressure is beyond control, the prognosis of IgA Nephropathy is bad.

5. The patients with serious pathological changes, its prognosis is worse.

In addition, the location of immune complex also affects the prognosis of IgA Nephropathy. The patients with deposition both in mesangial area and capillary wall have a worse prognosis than those only have deposition in the mesangial area. 

Kindly Reminder:
Kidney Disease should be treated as soon as possible, thus enhancing the therapeutic effect and improving quality of life. The most important thing is to build up the confidence to fight with disease.