[Alcohol consumption and glomerulonephritis caused by IgA mesangial deposits. (Berger's disease)]

Alcohol ingestion is considered as a possible pathogenic agent for Berger's disease, since Iga mesangial deposits have been described in liver cirrhosis. Aiming to assess this issue, 28 patients with Berger's disease (BD) and 40 patients with other glomerulopathies (NBD) were subjected to an enquiry about alcohol ingestion. Data was corroborated with 21 close relatives of BD patients and 34 relatives of NBD patients. No differences were observed in reported alcohol intake between BD patients and their relatives, however relatives of NBD patients underestimated their alcohol intake. No differences in alcohol intake, either self-reported or reported by relatives, were observed between BD and NBD patients. It is concluded that no differences in alcohol intake were observed between patients with Berger's disease and subjects with other glomerulopathies.