What is IgA nephropathy?

IgA nephropathy: A rare disorder where kidney inflammation leads to a build up of the antibody (IgA) in the kidney which results in the characteristic symptom of blood in the urine.
IgA nephropathy: most common cause of primary glomerular disease in Europe, Australia, and United States; lesions formed as a consequence of mesangial formations of immune deposits composed of IgA.
Source - Diseases Database

IgA nephropathy is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that IgA nephropathy, or a subtype of IgA nephropathy, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list IgA nephropathy as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet

IgA nephropathy: Introduction

Types of IgA nephropathy:

Broader types of IgA nephropathy:

How many people get IgA nephropathy?

Prevalance of IgA nephropathy: 61,423 people in the USA 1996 ¹
Prevalance Rate of IgA nephropathy: approx 1 in 4,428 or 0.02% or 61,422 people in USA [about data]

How serious is IgA nephropathy?

Complications of IgA nephropathy: see complications of IgA nephropathy

What causes IgA nephropathy?

Causes of IgA nephropathy: see causes of IgA nephropathy
Causes of IgA nephropathy: The IgA protein is a normal part of the body's system to protect against disease (the immune system). We do not know what causes IgA deposits in the glomeruli. But, since IgA nephropathy may run in families, genetic factors probably contribute to the disease. (Source: excerpt from IgA Nephropathy: NIDDK)
Risk factors for IgA nephropathy: see risk factors for IgA nephropathy

What are the symptoms of IgA nephropathy?

Symptoms of IgA nephropathy: see symptoms of IgA nephropathy

Complications of IgA nephropathy: see complications of IgA nephropathy

Can anyone else get IgA nephropathy?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.
Inheritance: see inheritance of IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for IgA nephropathy.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and IgA nephropathy.

How is it treated?

Treatments for IgA nephropathy: see treatments for IgA nephropathy
Research for IgA nephropathy: see research for IgA nephropathy

Organs Affected by IgA nephropathy:

Organs and body systems related to IgA nephropathy include:

Kidney

Name and Aliases of IgA nephropathy

Main name of condition: IgA nephropathy

Class of Condition for IgA nephropathy: autoimmune

Other names or spellings for IgA nephropathy:

IgA Glomerulonephritis, Berger disease, idiopathic renal hematuria, mesangial IgA nephropathy, Nephritis, IGA type, IGAN

Berger's disease Source - Diseases Database

IGAN, Nephritis, IGA type, Berger disease, IGAN, Nephritis, IGA type, Berger disease, Glomerulonephritis, IGA
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, IgA nephropathy:

Berger disease
Mesangial glomerulonephritis
Mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis
Berger's disease
Glomerular mesangium
Mucosal immune system
End-stage renal disease
ESRD
Acute renal failure
Chronic renal insufficiency

Footnotes:
1. Rose and Mackay, 1998, The Autoimmune Diseases, Third Edition

» Next page: Online Medical Textbooks for IgA nephropathy

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What is IgA nephropathy?