Abdominal pain associated with IgA nephropathy. Possible mechanism

A 36-year-old man presented with IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) and acute abdominal pain. Surgical biopsy of the ileum revealed deposits of IgA, C3, and fibrin in segments of the wall of submucosal arteries. The immune deposits appeared associated with areas of fibrinoid necrosis. These findings support the hypothesis that Berger's disease is a systemic disease, and provide a possible explanation for the abdominal pain associated with IgA nephropathy.