[IgA nephritis: a frequent form of glomerulonephritis in childhood]

Since the introduction of immunohistological techniques in the evaluation of renal biopsies, IGA-nephropathy as first described by Berger in 1968 is diagnosed frequently. The diagnosis of IGA-nephropathy is based upon the demonstration of mesangial IGA deposits. IGA-nephropathy has to be differentiate from post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis, Schönlein-Henoch-nephritis and Lupus-nephritis. With increasing observation periods the prognosis has not been confirmed to be benign, as previously assumed. Every physician interested in paediatrics should be aware of this kind of nephritis, because early renal biopsy is essential for the diagnosis and the estimation of the degree of histological alteration. Furthermore renal biopsy is important for the decision for an aggressive immunosuppressive therapy and therefore for the prognosis.