6 Main Symptoms of IgA Nephropathy (Berger’s Disease) in Clinic

IgA glomerulonephritis is a kind of glomerulus which is characterized by the phenomenon that recurrent gross hematuria or microscopic hematuria and mesangial cell increase, and stroma expland, meanwhile, with IgA depositing. The manifestations of IgA Nephropathy in clinic are various, the most typical ones of which are: hematuria(blood urine), proteinuria(protein in urine), nephrotic syndrome, acute renal failure, chronic renal failure and high blood pressure(hypertension).
1. Gross hematuria Gross hematuria (blood urine) can be found in 30%-50% of patients (urine appears to be brown or water where flesh is washed, and blood clot is rarely seen), which usually occurs after pharyngitis and amygdalitis, or appears under influences like overstrain, a cold, vaccination, pneumonia, gastroenteritis, etc. It usually occurs together with inducements, or occurs several hours to 24 hours after the inducements and then remits spontaneously after lasting several hours to one week. It is the most common symptom for Berger’s Disease.
2. Proteinuria (protein in urine)
In most of time, patients with IgA Nephropathy have proteinuria. There is foamy in the surface of the urine, which does not disappear for a long time. The bubble or foam is protein which leaks out into urine, which is also common following hematuria.
3. Nephrotic Syndrome. Nephrotic Syndrome can be found in 5% to 20% of patients, most of whom are children and youngsters. Four characteristic manifestations are as follows: proteinuria, the amount of protein in which in 24 hours is more than 3.5g, low protein in plasma (hypoproteinemia), hyperlipemia and swelling. It indicates that IgA nephritis has developed into a later stage.
4. Acute Renal Failure
It can be divided into two types: one is pathological change with vasculitis caused by large quantity of crescent in glomeruli; the other occurs when large quantity of erythrocyte casts blocks the tubules during gross hematuria.
5. Chronic Renal Failure.
Usually, it is the late manifestation of this long-term disease. In this class, patients with IgA Nephropathy can also have other symptoms such as poor appetite, nausea, anemia, vomiting and so on.
6. Hypertension or high blood pressure. It is a symptom which appears when kidney function gets worse.
Since we have understood the main symptoms of IgA Nephropathy, we can have a diagnosis in clinic. Next, effective treatment is necessary.