Long-term effects of intensive therapy combined with tonsillectomy in patients with IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of glomerular disease in the world. However, there is currently no established therapy for IgAN. To assess treatment regimens for IgAN, we investigated a retrospective long-term follow-up study comparing an intensive therapy with a conventional therapy. Clinical outcomes 5 years after the initiation of treatment in two centers were compared. In one center, patients were treated with tonsillectomy combined with steroid pulse, cyclophosphamide, anti-platelet drugs and warfarin (intensive therapy group, Group A, n = 50). In the other center patients were treated with anti-platelet drugs, warfarin or no treatment (conventional therapy group, Group B, n = 50). At the beginning of treatment, the two groups were well matched in terms of age, sex, blood pressure, urinalysis, and creatinine clearance. Five years after the initiation of treatment, proteinuria was remarkably reduced from 1.6 g/day to 0.5 g/day in Group A, whereas no significant change in proteinuria was observed in Group B. Creatinine clearance significantly improved from 77.6 ml/mm to 89.4 ml/min in Group A, whereas creatinine clearance deteriorated from 70.9 ml/min to 62.5 ml/min during 5 years in Group B. Our results indicate that early intensive therapy for IgAN is potentially of great value, and warrants close investigation.