Immunoglobulin A nephropathy, better known simply as IgA nephropathy, is a chronic disease that affects the kidneys. Also known as Berger’s Disease, IgA nephropathy is a slowly progressing condition that can take up to 20 years to fully manifest. It happens when there’s a gradual build-up of IgA, a vital antibody, in the kidneys. While you need IgA in your system, too much can start to create problems for your kidneys.
The job of IgA in the kidneys is to help them filter waste and unwanted matter out of the blood. However, when there’s a surplus of IgA, it can create inflammation within the kidneys. When this happens, your kidneys can’t filter everything that they normally do, and some unwanted waste passes through the kidneys without proper filtration. It’s crucial to pursue a diagnosis for IgA nephropathy so that you can begin treatment immediately and slow the progression of the disease.
IgA nephropathy is a very slowly progressing disease that you can have for up to a decade before you start displaying symptoms. However, once you start displaying symptoms, they will usually involve the following.
The main symptoms to watch out for when it comes to IgA nephropathy are swollen hands and feet and blood in the urine. These symptoms happen because your kidneys are inflamed and aren’t blocking toxins from traveling to your bladder. If you notice these symptoms, it’s important to see a medical professional, as you likely have IgA nephropathy or another kidney disease.
IgA nephropathy is a kidney infection that occurs when there’s a build-up of immunoglobulin A in the kidneys. Immunoglobulin A is a vital antibody that helps your kidneys filter unwanted waste. However, too much IgA can become a problem and actually keep the kidneys from doing their job.
While IgA nephropathy always stems from a build-up of immunoglobulin A in the kidneys, it’s unknown why this happens. There’s some speculation that it’s an autoimmune disorder that is due to genetics, but this theory is unproven. While we don’t know the exact cause of IgA nephropathy, here are a few known risk factors that increase your chances of developing it.
In most cases, your doctor will suspect IgA nephropathy if you start seeing blood in your urine or have oedema. However, further testing will be necessary to confirm or rule out an IgA diagnosis. These tests include the following.
It’s important to seek a diagnosis as early as possible, as IgA nephropathy can lead to a number of other health problems.
Unfortunately, there’s no known cure for IgA nephropathy. However, there are treatments that can help slow its progress and manage unwanted symptoms. Typically, this includes various medications to help you manage your blood pressure and cholesterol and to reduce inflammation in the kidneys. It may also be necessary to make dietary and lifestyle changes so that you remain at a healthy body weight and stay hydrated.