Immunoglobulin A nephropathy diagnosis
The defining histological hallmark of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is the presence of IgA in the mesangium as the sole or dominant immunoreactant. Light microscopy appearances vary very widely. The most common appearance is mesangial cell proliferation and an increase in mesangial matrix. However, this is not diagnostic in the absence of immunohistology. Focal segmental proliferative or necrotizing glomerulonephritis may be seen in ‘vasculitic’ disease with or without the skin changes of Henoch–Schönlein purpura. Extracapillary proliferation and crescent formation may occur. Occasionally florid haematuria may cause renal failure through acute tubular injury. Most commonly the disease is slowly evolving and focal or global sclerosis and tubulointerstitial scarring develop. The Oxford classification scheme may give some prognostic weight to these changes. There are no reliable serological or urine tests for the disease. Although average levels of serum IgA are above the population average this is not diagnostically useful in individual patients. Promising biomarkers in urine and serum are under investigation.