[Immunoglobulin A glomerulonephritis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis]

A case of a 48 years old man with a combination of immunoglobulin A glomerulonephritis and ankylosing spondylitis is reported. The patient presents with the typical clinical and X-ray data of Bechterew's disease and the kidney biopsy shows diffuse mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis with IgA precipitates. The rheumatic manifestations precede the hematuria and proteinuria. High serum IgA and arterial hypertension are present. It is suggested that the combination of these two diseases is more frequent since common pathogenetic mechanisms may play a leading role.