Iga Nephropathy: An Autoimmune Disease

Abstract

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common form of glomerulonephritis in Asia and the western world. It is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease, With up to 40% of patients progressing to end stage renal disease approximately 20 years after diagnosis. Patients show significant heterogeneity in the epidemiology, clinical presentation, renal progression, and long-term outcome across diverse racial and ethnic populations. . Recent international collaborative efforts have led to important discoveries that have improved our understanding of some of the key steps involved in the immunopathogenesis of IgAN. The mainstay of therapy therefore is optimized supportive care, i.e., measures that lower blood pressure, reduce proteinuria, minimize lifestyle risk factors, and otherwise help to reduce non-specific insults to the kidneys. There is currently no specific treatment for the disease, but with a better understanding of the disease pathogenesis, new therapeutic approaches are currently being tested in clinical trials.