Immunoglobulin A nephropathy diagnosis

Author(s):  
Kar Neng Lai ◽  
Sydney C. W. Tang

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.

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-15
Author(s):  
Sibel Ersan ◽  
Omur Gokmen Sevindik ◽  
Caner Cavdar ◽  
Sibel Ada ◽  
Aykut Sifil ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction. None of the classification systems in immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy has been widely agreed or implemented by clinicians or pathologists. In order to meet this need, "Oxford Classification System", which is highly reproducible and predictive for clinical course, was developed in 2009. In the present study, we investigated clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with IgA nephropathy based on current classification and the predictivity of crescent presence on prognosis. Methods. The study comprised 40 patients with diagnosis of primary IgA nephropathy on renal biopsy. The biopsy findings and follow-up parameters of patients were retrospectively re-evaluated. Pathological findings were examined based on the Oxford classification system. The presence of crescent formation in the specimens was noted. Results. The presence of crescent formation was predictive of poor prognosis regarding the glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), the level of proteinuria, and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Conclusion: Considering the importance of crescent formation in prediction of the clinical course and need for immunosuppressive therapy, it is suggested that crescent presence can be included in this classification system.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sehoon  Park ◽  
Chung Hee  Baek ◽  
Su-Kil  Park ◽  
Hee Gyung  Kang ◽  
Hye Sun  Hyun ◽  
...  

Background/Aims: Additional validation study was warranted to confirm the clinical significance of C score, which was recently added to the Oxford classification for immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN). Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort study in four hospitals in Korea. Patients who had biopsied glomeruli less than eight or inadequate follow-up information were excluded. Clinicopathologic parameters, including the degree of cellular or fibrocellular crescents, were collected and included in multivariable models for Cox regression analysis. The main outcome was a composite renal outcome, defined as a merge of progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and halving of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline. Results: Among included 3,380 biopsy-confirmed IgAN patients, there were 664 (19.6%) patients with C1 and 60 (1.8%) patients with C2 scores in the study population. Although C0 and C1 patients shared similar baseline characteristics, C2 patients frequently had more clinicopathologic risk factors for poor prognosis of IgAN. Both C1 [adjusted HR 1.33 (1.11-1.58), P=0.002] and C2 [adjusted HR 2.24 (1.46-3.43), P< 0.001] scores were associated with an increased risk of the composite outcome. C2 was a strong predictive parameter associated with both progression to ESRD and halving of eGFR, whereas C1 was mainly associated with the increased risk of halving of eGFR. Notably, the proportion of crescent showed a linear association with the risk of adverse renal outcome. Conclusion: The C score in the Oxford classification is a valid predictive parameter for IgAN prognosis. Additional clinical attention is necessary for IgAN patients with identified cellular or fibrocellular crescents.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 08-08 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Akhavan Sepahi ◽  
Muhammed Mubarak

Immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis (IgAVN) or Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) is the most common type of secondary IgA nephropathy (IgAN), particularly in children. Overall, its prognosis is good, but in a significant number of cases, it does lead to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Various classifications exist to predict the long-term outcome of kidney disease in these diseases, but none is universally accepted. We searched PubMed, Web of Science Embase, EBSCO, Scopus and directory of open access journals (DOAJ) with keywords of Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis, immunoglobulin A vasculitis nephritis, immunoglobulin A nephropathy, IgA vasculitis, extracapillary proliferation, IgA nephropathy, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, endstage renal disease, Oxford classification, crescent and childhood IgA vasculitis. IgAVN in children presents most often with crescents and endocapillary proliferation, with relapsing and remitting course clinically. Due to morphological resemblance of IgAVN and IgAN, the Oxford MEST-C scores could be applied for determining the long-term outcomes in the former disease. A critical concern in applying Oxford classification for IgAVN is that limited number of children with IgAVN exists in any one center and also a relatively short period of follow-up. Hence, further work in this regard is necessary. Preliminary evidence suggests that Oxford MEST-C classification is valid in predicting long-term kidney outcomes in children with IgAVN and the classification can also be used in adults. However, further, large scale, multicenter, international collaborative studies are needed to address the unmet issues.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (12) ◽  
pp. 2103-2137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seohyun Park ◽  
Hyung Woo Kim ◽  
Jung Tak Park ◽  
Tae Ik Chang ◽  
Ea Wha Kang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Complement activation has been highlighted in immunoglobulin (Ig) A nephropathy pathogenesis. However, whether the complement system can affect the downstream phenotype of IgA nephropathy remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the association of mesangial C3 deposition with the Oxford classification and their joint effects on worsening kidney function. Methods We investigated 453 patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy. C3 deposition was defined as an immunofluorescence intensity of C3 ≥2+ within the mesangium. The subjects were classified according to the combination of C3 deposition and Oxford classification lesions. The primary endpoint was a composite of ≥30% decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate or an increase in proteinuria ≥3.5 g/g during follow-up. Results Among the Oxford classification lesions, mesangial hypercellularity (M1), segmental glomerulosclerosis (S1) and tubulointerstitial fibrosis (T1–2) and crescentic lesion significantly correlated with C3 deposition. During a median follow-up of 33.0 months, the primary endpoint occurred more in patients with M1, S1, T1–2 and mesangial C3 deposition than in those without. In individual multivariable-adjusted Cox analyses, the presence of M1, S1, T1–2 and C3 deposition was significantly associated with higher risk of reaching primary endpoint. In the combined analyses of C3 deposition and the Oxford classification lesions, the hazard ratios for the composite outcome were significantly higher in the presence of C3/M1, C3/S1 and C3/crescent than in the presence of each lesion alone. Conclusions Complement deposition can strengthen the significance of the Oxford classification, and the presence of both components portends a poorer prognosis in IgA nephropathy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 1002-1009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanna Coppo ◽  
Graziella D'Arrigo ◽  
Giovanni Tripepi ◽  
Maria Luisa Russo ◽  
Ian S D Roberts ◽  
...  

Abstract Background It is unknown whether renal pathology lesions in immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) correlate with renal outcomes over decades of follow-up. Methods In 1130 patients of the original Validation Study of the Oxford Classification for IgA Nephropathy (VALIGA) cohort, we studied the relationship between the MEST score (mesangial hypercellularity, M; endocapillary hypercellularity, E; segmental glomerulosclerosis, S; tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis, T), crescents (C) and other histological lesions with both a combined renal endpoint [50% estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) loss or kidney failure] and the rate of eGFR decline over a follow-up period extending to 35 years [median 7 years (interquartile range 4.1–10.8)]. Results In this extended analysis, M1, S1 and T1–T2 lesions as well as the whole MEST score were independently related with the combined endpoint (P &lt; 0.01), and there was no effect modification by age for these associations, suggesting that they may be valid in children and in adults as well. Only T lesions were associated with the rate of eGFR loss in the whole cohort, whereas C showed this association only in patients not treated with immunosuppression. In separate prognostic analyses, the whole set of pathology lesions provided a gain in discrimination power over the clinical variables alone, which was similar at 5 years (+2.0%) and for the whole follow-up (+1.8%). A similar benefit was observed for risk reclassification analyses (+2.7% and +2.4%). Conclusion Long-term follow-up analyses of the VALIGA cohort showed that the independent relationship between kidney biopsy findings and the risk of progression towards kidney failure in IgAN remains unchanged across all age groups and decades after the renal biopsy.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1179-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perrine Jullien ◽  
Blandine Laurent ◽  
François Berthoux ◽  
Ingrid Masson ◽  
Miriana Dinic ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The prognosis of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is very heterogeneous. Predicting the nature and the rate of the disease progression is crucial for refining patient treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic impact of an Oxford classification-based repeat kidney tissue evaluation to predict end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods Patients with biopsy-proven primary IgAN who underwent two renal biopsies at our centre were analyzed retrospectively. Renal biopsies were scored by two pathologists blinded to the clinical data and according to the updated Oxford classification. Cox models were generated to evaluate the prognostic impact considering the Oxford classification elementary lesions from the first (Model 1) or the second (Model 2) biopsy, adjusted on clinical data at time of reevaluation. The prognostic impacts of the dynamic evolution of each elementary lesion between biopsies were also assessed through univariate and multivariate evaluation. Results A total of 168 adult patients were included, with a median follow-up duration of 18 (range 11–24) years. The second biopsy was performed either systematically (n = 112) of for-cause (n = 56), after a median time of 5.4 years. The prognostic performances of Model 2 (second biopsy) were significantly better than Model 1 (first biopsy, analysis of deviance P &lt; 0.0001). The dynamic changes of C and T lesions were significantly associated with the progression toward ESRD after adjustment on variables from Model 2. Conclusion Both static and dynamic Oxford-based histological evaluation offered by a repeat biopsy improves the prediction of ESRD in patients with IgAN.


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