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4th Glomerulonephritis-Workshop: IgA-Nephropathy

This workshop took place in Tübingen, Germany, in 1993. The results were published in the journal "Nieren- und Hochdruckkrankheiten", volume 23, No. 11/1994 (Dustri-Verlag Dr. Karl Feistle, München-Deisenhofen, Germany). Reprints can be ordered from the authors or the publisher directly.

W. Schoeppe: IgA nephropathy - epidemiology

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 538 - 540).
After Berger's first report on a nosological entity of recurrent hematuria and proteinuria together with mesangial IgA-depositions increasing information exists in the literature to correlate the disease with further etiological, epidemiological and prognostic characteristics. 1.5 to 35 % of patients with renal biopsy show IgA nephropathy reaching peaks in Japan and France compared to low frequencies in Northern America (USA + Canada). Finding of IgA deposits is frequently related to infections of the respiratory tract. Key words: Mesangial IgA deposits - etiological and epidemiological factors.

M. Rambausek, A. Schwarzbeck, E. Ritz: Pathophysiology of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23)
In patients with mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis impaired activity of suppressor-inducer T-cells, decreased suppressor T-cell activity and a hyperactivity of T-helper cells is found. This results in increased production of IgA and IgA-immune-complexes. It is suspected that oral tolerance is also disturbed in IgA-nephropathy. The familial occurrence and deviations in allele frequencies of certain HLA-subtypes, complement components and of immunoglobulin genes point to a genetic predisposition for IgA nephropathy. It is presently unknown how IgA immune complexes result in glomerular mesangial damage. Key words: Mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis - Pathophysiology.

T. Risler, N. Braun: Clinical course of IgA nephropathy

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 548 - 550).
Clinical presentation of IgA nephropathy may be as asymptomatic urinary abnormality or as episodes of macroscopic hematuria with or without proteinuria. 25 % of these patients will develop renal failure within 15 years. The clinical course depends on proteinuria (> 1 g/day bad prognostic sign), onset of arterial hypertension, and a preexisting moderate renal failure. Patients with recurrent macroscopic hematuria seem to have a more favorable prognosis. Morphological findings give further prognostic indications. Women have a better outcome. Pregnancy does not influence the course of the disease. Key words: IgA nephropathy - clinical course - risk factors.

R. Fünfstück, G. Stein: Diagnosis of IgA nephropathy

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 551 - 555).
IgA nephropathy is characterized by immunohistological deposits of IgA, IgG and complement. Light microscopically, diffuse or focal proliferative as well as sclerosing alterations are conspicuous. IgA nephropathy differs from other types of glomerulonephritis by its obvious classical symptoms hematuria, proteinuria, hypertension as well as by a typical constellation of immunological parameters. Infections of the upper respiratory tract, inflammations of the gastrointestinal tract and allergies are regarded as predisposing diseases. Hematuria with demonstrable dysmorphic erythrocytes is considered as an early symptom, but acanthocyturia does not differentiate between this disease and other types of glomerulonephritis. Mostly, proteinuria is below 1 g/day; unselective proteinuria is not favorable for prognosis. Hypertension appears to be less frequent than other types of the disease. An increase in the IgA, subclass is regarded as pathogenetic, as an evidence of systemic immunodysregulation. The diagnostic importance of monomerically and polymerically bound IgA in immunecomplexes, of IgA rheumatic factor activity, of IgG autoantibodies or of IgA specific antibodies against surface molecules of endothelial cells is not yet understood. Clinical and laboratory findings are useful to classify activity, development and therapeutic effects. Until now, the disease can not be unambiguously diagnosed without renal biopsy. Key words: IgA nephropathy - hematuria - proteinuria hypertension - immunological parameters.

U. Gröger, F. Herth, R. Brunkhorst, K. Kühn: "Secondary" IgA nephropathy in liver cirrhosis


(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 556 - 558). Clinical evidence of a "secondary" IgA nephropathy was investigated in 26 patients (pts) with alcoholic liver cirrhosis (LCl), 35 pts with posthepatitic LCI and compared with results of 2 control groups (group I: 18 pts with "idiopathic" IgA nephropathy (IgA-N); group II: 12 pts with a benign IgA gammopathy). Results: 15 of 18 pts with IgA-N (control group I) had clinical signs of a glomerulopathy (microhematuria, proteinuria), only 4 of 18 IgA-N pts had an elevated serum IgA. All 12 pts with IgA gammopathy (control group II) had an elevated serum IgA but none of them clinical signs of a glomerulopathy. Only 1 of 35 pts with posthepatitic LCI and 3 of 26 pts with alcoholic LCI had clinical evidence of a "secondary" IgA nephropathy. Conclusions: There is only a minor clinical evidence for a "secondary" IgA-nephropathy in pts with LCI although morphologically mesangial IgA has been described in a higher

incidence of LCI pts. Key words: Alcoholic liver cirrhosis - posthepatitic liver cirrhosis - IgA nephropathy - serum IgA - benign IgA gammopathy.

H. Brass, Th. Schleiffer, A. Weisbrod: Secondary IgA glomerulonephritis - a systemic disease


(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 559 - 563)? IgA glomerulonephritis is the relatively most common form of chronic glomerulonephritis. It can be separated into a primary idiopathic and a secondary form. "Secondary" means either coincidence or association with another primary disease or the multiorganic manifestation of a basic immunological pathogenesis. A multitude of primary lesions can be accompanied or followed by IgA-glomerulonephritis. Such a complex systemic manifestation is likely to result in a worse prognosis compared to pure primary IgA-glomerulonephritis. The proportion of primary to secondary IgA-glomerulonephritis is determined in part by age (e.g. children with a high proportion of associated Schoenlein-Henoch Purpura) and in part by the pattern of patient selection - but last not least also by the indication for renal biopsy which we often perform in active disease processes. We thus found 30 (26 %) of 117 histologically proven IgA-glomerulonephritis to be secondary forms. Key words: Secondary IgA glomerulonephritis - systemic diseases - "connecto-vasculitis"and "vasculo-connectivitis" -autoimmune disease process.

N. Braun: Immunosuppressive therapy in IgA nephropathy

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 564 - 569.
The therapy of the primary IgA nephropathy is still a matter of controversy despite numerous clinical trials. During the past decades, various immunosuppressive therapy protocols were tried with different success rates in addition to mere supportive measures such as blood pressure control, prescribing diuretics and dietary regimens. The main problem in evaluating the effect of any immunosuppressive therapy for this condition is the small number of cases in the literature. Meta-analysis was used as a tool to answer the question whether the immunosuppressive therapy has any valuable effect for the outcome of patients, their proteinuria and renal function. All available data since the first description of the disease up to 1993 were pooled. There was a significant benefit for patients with nephrotic range proteinuria and IgA nephropathy in order to reduce urinary protein excretion. But there was no difference in patients with proteinuria less than 3.5 g per day. Neither patients on immunosuppressives nor patients on exclusive supportive care showed a difference in their renal function by the end of the observation period. Key words: IgA nephropathy - glomerulonephritis therapy - immunosuppressive agents - corticosteroids - cyclophosphamide - chlorambucil - azathioprine - cyclosporin A meta-analysis.

C. T. Grupp, H.-E. Franz, C. Dworsky, F. Keller: Symptomatic therapy of IgA nephropathy

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 570 -
IgA nephropathy is one of the most frequent of primary glomerular diseases in adults. The course of the disease is rather variable, its prognosis is generally regarded as relatively good although 20 years after diagnosis about 20-30 % of the patients suffer from end stage kidney disease. Besides the question which patient needs therapy at all, the kind of therapy is still under discussion. In the following symptomatic therapeutic approaches are considered. Of great importance may be a consequent antihypertensive therapy preferably with an ACE-inhibitor. Measures to reduce (tonsillectomy) or modify serum IgA levels or IgA-containing immune complexes may reduce symptoms like gross hematuria, but no consistent effect on the progression of the disease has been observed. Key words: Immunoglobulin A - IgA nephropathy - ACE inhibitor - tonsillectomy.

P. Heering, D. Bach, C. Niederau, B. Grabensee: Functional reserve capacity in patients with IgA glomerulopathy

(Nieren Hochdruckkrh 1994 (23) 575 - 579).
Protein loading is known to increase renal blood flow without influencing heart rate or systemic blood pressure. In 24 patients with IgA nephropathy glomerular filtration rate, effective renal plasma flow and urinary albumin excretion were examined before and after an acute protein load. An increase in GFR was only observed in patients with a baseline GFR > 75 ml/min/ 1.73 m2. Sixteen hypertensive patients were reevaluated after 4 weeks treatment with either perindopril or nifedipine. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were lowered in these patients. Both drugs did not affect the glomerular response to acute protein loading. We conclude that protein loading induces glomerular hyperfiltration in patients with IgA-nephropathy as long as GFR is above 75 ml/min. Treatment with perindopril or nifedipine in patients with IgA glomerulopathy did not impair GFR and did not alter the hemodynamic response to amino acid loading. Key words: IgA glomerulopathy - arterial hypertension renal functional reserve - perindopril - nifedipine.

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