BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuIgA nephropathyNephropathy - IgA; Berger diseaseIgA nephropathy is a kidney disorder in which antibodies (called IgA) build up in kidney tissue. Nephropathy is damage, disease, or other problems with the kidney.IgA nephropathy is also called Berger disease. Causes IgA is a protein, called an antibody, that helps the body fight infections. IgA nephropathy occurs when too much of this protein is deposited in the kidneys. IgA builds up inside the small blood vessels of the kidney. Structures in the kidney called glomeruli become inflamed and damaged.AntibodyAplastic is a medical term that means:Did not grow or develop normallyDid not mature fullyBecame unable to form new tissueImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The disorder can appear suddenly (acute), or get worse slowly over many years (chronic glomerulonephritis).AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article GlomerulonephritisGlomerulonephritis is a type of kidney disease in which the part of your kidneys that helps filter waste and fluids from the blood is damaged....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risk factors include:A personal or family history of IgA nephropathy or Henoch-Schönlein purpura, a form of vasculitis that affects many parts of the body PurpuraPurpura is purple-colored spots and patches that occur on the skin, and in mucus membranes, including the lining of the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article VasculitisHypersensitivity vasculitis is an extreme reaction to a drug, infection, or foreign substance. It leads to inflammation and damage to blood vessels,...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article White or Asian ethnicityIgA nephropathy can occur in people of all ages, but it most often affects males in their teens to late 30s. Symptoms There may be no symptoms for many years.When there are symptoms, they may include:Bloody urine that starts during or soon after a respiratory infection Repeated episodes of dark or bloody urine Swelling of the hands and feet Symptoms of chronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests IgA nephropathy is most often discovered when a person with no other symptoms of kidney problems has one or more episodes of dark or bloody urine.There are no specific changes seen during a physical examination. Sometimes, the blood pressure may be high or there may be swelling in parts of the body.Tests include:Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test to measure kidney function Blood urea nitrogenBUN stands for blood urea nitrogen. Urea nitrogen is what forms when protein breaks down. A test can be done to measure the amount of urea nitrogen ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Creatinine blood test to measure kidney function Creatinine blood testThe creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. This test is done to see how well your kidneys are working. Creatinine in t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney biopsy to confirm the diagnosis Kidney biopsyA kidney biopsy is the removal of a small piece of kidney tissue for examination.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article UrinalysisUrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent or delay chronic renal failure.Chronic renal failureChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The treatment may include:Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to control high blood pressure and swelling (edema) EdemaSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Corticosteroids, other medicines that suppress the immune system Fish oil Medicines to lower cholesterolSalt and fluid intakes may be restricted to control swelling. A low-to-moderate protein diet may be recommended in some cases.ProteinProteins are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Eventually, many people must be treated for chronic kidney disease and may need dialysis.DialysisDialysis treats end-stage kidney disease also called kidney failure. It removes waste from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do their job. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) IgA nephropathy gets worse slowly. In many cases, it does not get worse at all. Your condition is more likely to get worse if you have:High blood pressure Large amounts of protein in the urine Protein in the urineThe urine protein dipstick test measures the presence of all proteins, including albumin, in a urine sample. Albumin and protein can also be measured...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Increased BUN or creatinine levels When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have bloody urine or if you are producing less urine than usual.Open ReferencesReferencesFloege J, Barratt J, Zhang H. Immunoglobulin A nephropathy and IgA vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura). In: Johnson RJ, Floege J, Tonelli M, eds. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 24.Saha MK, Pendergraft WF, Jennette JC, Falk RJ. Primary glomerular disease. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 31.AllVideoImagesTogKidney anatomy - illustration The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the body, regulating electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and the stimulation of red blood cell production.Kidney anatomyillustrationKidney anatomy - illustration The kidneys are responsible for removing wastes from the body, regulating electrolyte balance and blood pressure, and the stimulation of red blood cell production.Kidney anatomyillustrationRelated Information Urine - bloody (Symptoms)Antibody(Special Topic)Acute(Special Topic)Acute nephritic syndrome(Condition)Nephrotic syndrome(Condition)Purpura(Symptoms)Hypersensitivity vasculitis(Condition)Chronic kidney disease(Condition)End-stage kidney disease(Condition) Review Date: 8/28/2023 Reviewed By: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. 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IgA nephropathyNephropathy - IgA; Berger diseaseIgA nephropathy is a kidney disorder in which antibodies (called IgA) build up in kidney tissue. Nephropathy is damage, disease, or other problems with the kidney.IgA nephropathy is also called Berger disease. Causes IgA is a protein, called an antibody, that helps the body fight infections. IgA nephropathy occurs when too much of this protein is deposited in the kidneys. IgA builds up inside the small blood vessels of the kidney. Structures in the kidney called glomeruli become inflamed and damaged.AntibodyAplastic is a medical term that means:Did not grow or develop normallyDid not mature fullyBecame unable to form new tissueImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The disorder can appear suddenly (acute), or get worse slowly over many years (chronic glomerulonephritis).AcuteAcute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article GlomerulonephritisGlomerulonephritis is a type of kidney disease in which the part of your kidneys that helps filter waste and fluids from the blood is damaged....ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Risk factors include:A personal or family history of IgA nephropathy or Henoch-Schönlein purpura, a form of vasculitis that affects many parts of the body PurpuraPurpura is purple-colored spots and patches that occur on the skin, and in mucus membranes, including the lining of the mouth.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article VasculitisHypersensitivity vasculitis is an extreme reaction to a drug, infection, or foreign substance. It leads to inflammation and damage to blood vessels,...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article White or Asian ethnicityIgA nephropathy can occur in people of all ages, but it most often affects males in their teens to late 30s. Symptoms There may be no symptoms for many years.When there are symptoms, they may include:Bloody urine that starts during or soon after a respiratory infection Repeated episodes of dark or bloody urine Swelling of the hands and feet Symptoms of chronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney diseaseChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests IgA nephropathy is most often discovered when a person with no other symptoms of kidney problems has one or more episodes of dark or bloody urine.There are no specific changes seen during a physical examination. Sometimes, the blood pressure may be high or there may be swelling in parts of the body.Tests include:Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test to measure kidney function Blood urea nitrogenBUN stands for blood urea nitrogen. Urea nitrogen is what forms when protein breaks down. A test can be done to measure the amount of urea nitrogen ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Creatinine blood test to measure kidney function Creatinine blood testThe creatinine blood test measures the level of creatinine in the blood. This test is done to see how well your kidneys are working. Creatinine in t...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney biopsy to confirm the diagnosis Kidney biopsyA kidney biopsy is the removal of a small piece of kidney tissue for examination.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article UrinalysisUrinalysisUrinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment The goal of treatment is to relieve symptoms and prevent or delay chronic renal failure.Chronic renal failureChronic kidney disease is the slow loss of kidney function over time. The main job of the kidneys is to remove wastes and excess water from the body...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article The treatment may include:Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) to control high blood pressure and swelling (edema) EdemaSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Corticosteroids, other medicines that suppress the immune system Fish oil Medicines to lower cholesterolSalt and fluid intakes may be restricted to control swelling. A low-to-moderate protein diet may be recommended in some cases.ProteinProteins are the building blocks of life. Every cell in the human body contains protein. The basic structure of protein is a chain of amino acids. ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Eventually, many people must be treated for chronic kidney disease and may need dialysis.DialysisDialysis treats end-stage kidney disease also called kidney failure. It removes waste from your blood when your kidneys can no longer do their job. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) IgA nephropathy gets worse slowly. In many cases, it does not get worse at all. Your condition is more likely to get worse if you have:High blood pressure Large amounts of protein in the urine Protein in the urineThe urine protein dipstick test measures the presence of all proteins, including albumin, in a urine sample. Albumin and protein can also be measured...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Increased BUN or creatinine levels When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have bloody urine or if you are producing less urine than usual.Open ReferencesReferencesFloege J, Barratt J, Zhang H. Immunoglobulin A nephropathy and IgA vasculitis (Henoch-Schönlein purpura). In: Johnson RJ, Floege J, Tonelli M, eds. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 24.Saha MK, Pendergraft WF, Jennette JC, Falk RJ. Primary glomerular disease. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 31.