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IgA nephropathy

Nephropathia IgA (morbus Berger) · IgA nefropatie

What it is

The commonest glomerulonephritis in the world: a faulty IgA antibody clogs the kidney's filters, often with blood in the urine after a sore throat.

Symptoms & signs

  • Cola-coloured urine a day or two after a cold
  • blood or protein in the urine on testing
  • high blood pressure
  • swelling
  • slowly falling kidney function

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Passing little or no urine
  • call 112 / 911 now Breathless with swollen legs
  • see a doctor soon Red or cola-coloured urine
  • see a doctor soon Frothy urine or swelling around the eyes

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Urine tests and kidney biopsy
  • ACE inhibitor or ARB
  • SGLT2 inhibitor
  • targeted-release budesonide (Nefecon)
  • sparsentan
  • steroids in selected patients
  • Iptacopan (Fabhalta), a complement inhibitor — FDA accelerated approval 2024 to lower proteinuria

Natural & lifestyle

  • Low-salt diet
  • blood-pressure control
  • no smoking

Emerging & experimental

  • APRIL blockers (sibeprenlimab, atacicept)

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Fish oil — trials disagree mixed evidence
  • Tonsillectomy — Japanese studies suggest benefit; not adopted in Europe early / small studies
  • Gluten-free diet — anecdotal anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes