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IgA Nephropathy with Crescents: A Single-Center Experience
Nirali Ramani1, William L Whittier1, Stephen M Korbet1
1Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Insights
Crescents in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) did not worsen outcomes like end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Aggressive immunosuppressive treatment and limited crescent involvement in most patients likely contributed to these findings.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Immunology
- Pathology
Background:
- Crescents in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) are traditionally linked to a poor prognosis.
- Assessing the prognostic significance of crescents in IgAN is crucial for patient management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the prognostic impact of crescents in patients diagnosed with IgA nephropathy.
- To determine if the presence and extent of crescents correlate with kidney disease progression.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 73 IgA nephropathy patients biopsied between 1992 and 2020.
- Collected clinical, laboratory, histological data, treatment, and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) outcomes.
- Compared outcomes between patients with and without crescents, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.
Main Results:
- Patients with crescents showed higher proteinuria (UPro/Cr ratio) but similar hypertension, serum creatinine (SCr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at biopsy.
- Histological features like sclerosis and interstitial fibrosis were comparable between groups.
- Despite a higher rate of immunosuppressive treatment in the crescent group (70% vs. 21%), end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) rates (19% vs. 23%) and 10-year renal survival (80% vs. 74%) were similar.
Conclusions:
- The presence of crescents in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) was not associated with an increased risk of progression to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in this cohort.
- Limited crescent involvement (<25% of glomeruli) and aggressive immunosuppressive therapy may explain the favorable outcomes observed.
- These findings suggest that crescents in IgAN may not always portend a poor prognosis, especially with appropriate management.
Introduction:
The presence of crescents in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) has been associated with a poor prognosis. We assess the prognosis of crescents in our patients with IgAN.
Methods:
IgAN was diagnosed in 73 patients biopsied at Rush University Medical Center from 1992 to 2020, and crescents were seen in 26 (36%). Clinical, laboratory and histologic features at biopsy, and treatment and outcome (end-stage kidney disease, ESKD) were collected retrospectively. Data are presented as mean ± SD and a p value of <0.05 was significant.
Results:
There was no difference in hypertension, SCr, or eGFR in patients with crescents compared to those without crescents but patients with crescents had higher UPro/Cr ratio (2.8 ± 2.7 vs. 1.7 ± 1.7 g/g, p 0.04). The percentage of glomeruli with global and segmental sclerosis (32 ± 25% vs. 38 ± 28%, p 0.35) and the proportion of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (22 ± 20% vs. 22 ± 22%, p 0.76) were similar. Only 19% of patients with crescents had lesions involving ≥25% of glomeruli. A larger proportion of patients with crescents were treated with immunosuppressive agents (70% vs. 21%, p 0.0005). After 8.4 ± 7 years of follow-up, ESKD (19% vs. 23%, p 0.77) and renal survival at 10 years (80% vs. 74%, p 0.99) were similar in patients with and without crescents.
Conclusion:
The presence of crescents in IgAN was not associated with an increased risk of progression to ESKD. This may be a result of the fact that the majority of our patients had crescents involving <25% of glomeruli and received aggressive treatment with immunosuppressive agents.
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