IgAN is a progressive disease that leads to chronic kidney injury and, often, ESKD6,7

IgAN is commonly diagnosed in people aged 20 to 40 years, and nearly all patients with IgAN are at risk of developing kidney failure within their lifetime.4,6,8*

*Data from a retrospective cohort study of lgAN patients enrolled into the UK National Registry of Rare Kidney Diseases (RaDaR)4:

  • 2299 adults and 140 children with biopsy-proven lgAN
  • proteinuria >0.5 g/day or eGFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2

Kidney survival probability using total follow-up time-averaged proteinuria4*

Prognostic factors aid initial and ongoing assessment of patients with IgAN, given the heterogeneity in clinical presentation9

Kidney biopsy

A kidney biopsy is required for IgAN diagnosis. 
Histopathology of the kidney provides crucial prognostic information to guide disease management and enhance clinical outcomes.5,9

IgAN biomarkers

Proteinuria

Proteinuria is a prognostic marker associated with long-term kidney outcomes, including eGFR decline and ESKD.10-12

Other symptoms may include8:

Hematuria

Elevated creatinine

Hypertension

MEST-C score

The MEST-C score offers invaluable insight, serving as a means to evaluate the risk of progression to kidney failure.9

We’re here to help

IgAN resources

APRIL=A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand; eGFR=estimated glomerular filtration rate; ESKD=end-stage kidney disease; IgAN=immunoglobulin A nephropathy; MEST-C=mesangial hypercellularity, endocapillary hypercellularity, segmental glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis, and crescents.

  • References: 1. 

    Suzuki H, Kiryluk K, Novak J, et al. The pathophysiology of IgA nephropathy. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2011;22(10):1795-1803.

  • 2. 

    Gutiérrez E, Carvaca-Fontán F, Luzardo L, Morales E, Alonso M, Praga M. A personalized update on IgA nephropathy: a new vision and new future challenges. Nephron. 2020;144(11):555-571.

  • 3. 

    Cheung CK, Barratt J, Lafayette R, et al. Targeting APRIL in the treatment of glomerular diseases. Kidney Int. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.kint.2024.08.012.

  • 4. 

    Pitcher D, Braddon F, Hendry B, et al. Long-term outcomes in IgA nephropathy. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2023;18(6):727-738.

  • 5. 

    Cheung CK, Barratt J, Liew A, Zhang H, Tesař V, Lafayette R. The role of BAFF and APRIL in lgA nephrology: pathogenic mechanisms and targeted therapies. Front Nephrol. 2024;3:134‌6769.

  • 6. 

    Caster DJ, Abner CW, Walker PD, et al. Clinicopathological characteristics of adult IgA nephropathy in the United States. Kidney Int Rep. 2023;8(9):1792-1800.

  • 7. 

    Rajasekaran A, Julian BA, Rizk DV. IgA nephropathy: an interesting autoimmune kidney disease. Am J Med Sci. 2021;361(2):176-194.

  • 8. 

    Lai KN, Tang SC, Schena FP, et al. IgA nephropathy. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2016;2:16001.

  • 9. 

    Cattran DC, Floege J, Coppo R. Evaluating progression risk in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy. Kidney Int Rep. 2023;8(12):2515‌-2528.

  • 10. 

    Donadio JV, Bergstralh EJ, Grande JP, Rademcher DM. Proteinuria patterns and their association with subsequent end-stage renal disease in IgA nephropathy. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2002;17(7):1197-1203.

  • 11. 

    Reich HN, Troyanov S, Scholey JW, Cattran DC; Toronto Glomerulonephritis Registry. Remission of proteinuria improves prognosis in IgA nephropathy. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;18(12):3177‌-3183.

  • 12. 

    Coppo R, D’Arrigo G, Tripepi G, et al. Is there long-term value of pathology scoring in immunoglobulin A nephropathy? A validation study of the Oxford Classification for IgA Nephropathy (VALIGA) update. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2020;35(6):1002-1009.