[Acute reversible kidney failure in IgA nephritis]

Four patients with acute renal failure during an acute course of IGA-nephritis are described. Percutaneous renal biopsies showed only minor glomerular lesions in all patients. Immunosuppressive therapy was not necessary. In all patients acute renal failure was completely reversible. The four patient showed further episodes of macrohematuria without acute renal failure. All patients had normal renal function, normotensive blood pressure and microhematuria during interval. In three of the patients we found erythrocytes casts and a mild protein excretion. IGA-nephritis is one of the most common types of glomerulonephritis in adolescents and adults. If acute renal failure occurs during a course of IGA-nephritis with macroscopic haematuria a percutaneous renal biopsy has to be performed. Only in case of severe crescents formation (greater than 75%) immunosuppressive therapy is necessary. Glomerular lesions are responsible for long time prognosis.