IgA nephropathy in renal allografts: increased frequency in Native American patients

We investigated the frequency of IgA nephropathy in transplanted kidneys in 2 ethnic groups in New Mexico (USA). A total of 80 renal graft biopsies were obtained from 66 patients when clinically indicated for the differential diagnosis of graft dysfunction. Glomerulonephritis was present in 16 patients, in biopsies obtained after the first posttransplantation month. The frequency of IgAN in allografts was not the same in Native Americans and in Caucasians: Nondonor IgAN was observed in 4/18 biopsies from Native American patients (22.2%) but only in 4/48 biopsies from Caucasians (8.3%) (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that in New Mexico the frequency of IgAN in transplanted kidneys in Native American patients is 2.7 times higher than in Caucasian graft recipients.