[IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease). Our experience in 78 cases]

We studied 78 patients with a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Renal biopsy was indicated in 69 patients by the presence of macroscopic hematuria (52%), microhematuria or proteinuria (22%), nephrotic syndrome (10%), severe hypertension with microhematuria or renal failure (14%) or nephritic syndrome (1%). Nine were healthy subjects being studied as live kidney donors. An association with IgG and/or IgM was present in 92% of patients. Serum IgA was elevated in 36% of patients. Hypertension was present in 30% and decreased renal function in 29%. Patients with serum creatinine above 1.5 mg/dl tended to be older (33.8 vs 28.7 years) and to have hypertension (52% vs 19%). Among 25 patients followed for more than 12 months renal function remained stable in 44%, deteriorated in 20% and 36% developed renal failure. The latter was associated to older age, hypertension, absence of macroscopic hematuria and nephrotic syndrome. The 9 live donors had no clinical manifestations of renal disease. Thus, IgA nephropathy is a highly variable clinical entity, both in its manifestations and its prognosis. An asymptomatic course is demonstrated in some subjects.