Clinical and histopathological predictors of progressive disease in IgA nephropathy

The clinical course and biopsy findings of twenty-one patients with IgA nephropathy, followed up for a mean period of 37.4 mth (range 24-54 mth) after diagnosis, were reviewed retrospectively to determine whether the clinical presentations, the laboratory findings or histopathologic changes have prognostic implications. An age of 24 yr or above and a serum creatinine of 0.18 mmol/l or above at diagnosis correlated significantly with renal insufficiency at the end of the follow-up (P = 0.023 & 0.03). Proteinuria of 1.5 g/d or more and hypertension (systolic greater than 150 mmHg or diastolic greater than 100 mmHg) when well controlled, were not found to be significant. Asymptomatic proteinuria and gross hematuria, on the other hand, correlated negatively with renal insufficiency at the end of the follow up (P = 0.034). With respect to histopathological changes, greater than 30% global glomerular sclerosis and moderate or marked tubular atrophy correlated significantly with renal insufficiency (P = 0.005 and 0.005). However, less than 10% glomerular crescents, small amounts of mesangial electron dense deposits or absent ultrastructural peripheral glomerular capillary wall abnormalities correlated negatively with renal insufficiency (P = 0.017, 0.03 & 0.03).