Last Reviewed July 2017 Page 1
Prevent, Detect, Support.
Fact sheet IgA Nephritis
How do the kidneys work? What is nephritis?
The kidneys are two large bean-shaped Nephritis is a group of diseases that organs located in your lower back. cause inflammation (damage) of the filtering units in the kidneys. Damage Each kidney contains up to one million of these filtering units can reduce the tiny filtering units, called nephrons. kidney’s ability to filter waste from the Inside a nephron, there is a tiny set of blood. There are many different types blood vessels called the glomerulus. of nephritis. The glomerulus filters your blood allowing excess fluid and waste to IgA nephritis (also called IgA pass into your urine. nephropathy) is the most common type of nephritis in Australia. In a healthy kidney, this filter helps to keep blood cells and protein in your bloodstream.
What is IgA nephritis? What causes IgA nephritis? Who gets IgA nephritis?
IgA refers to the IgA antibody The cause of IgA nephritis is not fully IgA is one of the most common kidney molecule. This is a normal protein understood, however many possible diseases. It is found more often in found in all of us which helps us to causes of IgA nephritis are being males than females and it is usually fight infections in the throat, airways, studied. If enough kidney filters are diagnosed around the age of thirty. and intestine. damaged, then kidney disease occurs. However, it can affect people of all ages. In most cases, the disease is not In IgA nephritis, the IgA antibody thought to be hereditary but in some causes damage to the kidney filters. families there may be a genetic link. This allows protein and blood to leak into your urine. Both kidneys are affected by this condition. IgA nephritis is a type of kidney disease that may slowly worsen over 10 to 20 years.
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What are the signs of IgA nephritis?
IgA nephritis may be picked up during The majority of people with IgA routine health checks. nephritis develop high blood pressure. High blood pressure must always Signs of IgA nephritis can include the be treated. Many people with IgA following: nephritis have mild chronic kidney • No symptoms disease that has no symptoms but needs to be monitored. Unfortunately, • Blood in your urine (haematuria) - can a small number of patients (around make urine pink or cola-coloured 20%) may develop severe hypertension • Protein in your urine (albuminuria or (high blood pressure) and kidney proteinuria) - can cause frothy urine disease. If the kidney disease is • High blood pressure (hypertension) very severe, the patient may need - can cause widespread damage in treatment with either dialysis or the body if left untreated, such as kidney transplantation. headaches, kidney damage, strokes See Anaemia, Blood in Urine, and heart disease Albuminuria, All about Chronic Kidney • Anaemia - not enough red blood Disease and Nephritis fact sheets for cells in your blood, which can cause more information. tiredness and shortness of breath • Kidney disease, may need dialysis or transplant.
How is IgA nephritis diagnosed and treated?
Finding blood or protein in your urine Control of high blood pressure is the Fish oil supplements may help to combined with the other common most important treatment for IgA reduce inflammation. complications suggest signs of kidney nephritis. Studies show that use of New treatment such as immune- damage. A kidney biopsy will be medications such as angiotensin suppressing drugs are being tested to required to accurately diagnose IgA converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-i) see if it can help to slow down kidney nephritis. During a kidney biopsy, a or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) disease but have not yet been proven. very small sample of kidney tissue is is an effective treatment for high blood removed and then examined under pressure. These drugs lower blood Discussion with a kidney specialist a microscope. pressure and help to protect kidney will help decide whether these are function. Other medications such as useful treatment options for you. There is currently no cure for IgA beta-blockers and calcium-channel nephritis. Slowing the disease by Regular visits to a doctor or kidney blockers may also be used to reduce treating high blood pressure and specialist are important for anyone your blood pressure. treating other chronic kidney disease with IgA nephritis. (CKD) risk factors are key treatment goals.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
• IgA nephritis is a type of kidney disease that may slowly worsen over 10 to 20 years. • There is currently no cure for IgA nephritis, so treatment of blood pressure and managing other CKD risk factors are extremely important . • The majority of people with IgA nephritis develop high blood pressure, which must always be treated.
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What does that word mean?
Albuminuria - Occurs when albumin Glomerulus - One of the key structures Kidney transplantation - A treatment is present in the urine. There are that make up the nephron which is for end stage kidney disease where a filters in the kidneys that prevent large the filtering unit of the kidney. kidney is removed from the body of molecules, such as albumin, from one person (the donor) and put into Haematuria - Blood in your urine. passing through. If these filters are the body of the person with end stage It can turn urine a red or dark cola damaged, albumin passes from the kidney disease. colour, which is visible to the eye OR blood into the urine. may only be found by a urine test Nephron - The tiny parts of the kidney Anaemia - When there are only a (microscopic haematuria). Blood in that filter blood to make urine. There small number of red blood cells in the urine is a common sign of urinary are over one million filters in each your blood or your blood cells are tract infections but can be the first kidney. not working properly. Red blood cells sign of a problem with the kidneys or Proteinuria - Too much protein in your carry oxygen, so if you have anaemia the bladder. urine. you can feel weak, tired and short of Hereditary - Diseases that are passed breath. from parents to their children. Antibody - A protein molecule made by Hypertension - High blood pressure your immune system to attack tissue can cause chronic kidney disease and that is not normally part of your body chronic kidney disease can cause high (e.g. viruses and bacteria). blood pressure. Dialysis - A treatment for end stage IgA nephritis - A common type of kidney disease that removes waste glomerulonephritis where build-up of products and excess fluid from your the IgA antibody damages the kidney blood by filtering your blood through filters, allowing protein and blood to a special membrane. There are two leak into the urine. types of dialysis; haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Kidney Biopsy - A small piece of kidney tissue is removed for testing and examined under a microscope.
This is intended as a general For more information introduction to this topic and is not about kidney or urinary meant to substitute for your doctor’s If you have a hearing or health professional’s advice. or speech impairment, All care is taken to ensure that health, please contact the information is relevant to contact the National the reader and applicable to Relay Service on our free call Kidney Health each state in Australia. It should be noted that Kidney Health 1800 555 677 or Information Service Australia recognises that each relayservice.com.au person’s experience is individual (KHIS) on 1800 454 363. and that variations do occur in For all types of services treatment and management due to ask for 1800 454 363 Or visit our website personal circumstances, the health professional and the state one kidney.org.au to access lives in. Should you require further information always consult your free health literature. doctor or health professional. Kidney Health Australia gratefully acknowledges the valuable contribution of Dr Shilpa Jesudason in the review of this material.
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