IgA Nephropathy (Berger's disease) is a medical condition that causes IgA
protein to collect in a patient's kidneys. In many cases, our body uses IgA to
fight infections. This disease typically impairs the kidneys' ability to filter
excess water and wastes from the blood. Protein and blood can be released into
the urine. In many cases, IgA Nephropathy may go undiagnosed. Other people
develop one or more of the complications as below.
1. High blood pressure (hypertension)
Your kidneys perform the important function to help control blood pressure,
so elevated blood pressure will occur due to damage to your kidneys caused by
IgA deposits. In turn, hypertension can aggravate the disease condition.
2. Nephrotic Syndrome (NS)
This refers to a group of problems that caused by glomeruli impairment,
including high levels of protein in urine, low blood protein levels, high
cholesterol, and swelling (edema of the eyelids, feet and abdomen).
3. Acute Kidney Failure
If your kidneys lose their filtering ability due to IgA deposits, waste
products will build up quickly in the blood. When this happens, you may have to
undergo temporary kidney dialysis.
4. Chronic Kidney Failure
Chronic kidney failure is a common complication of IgA Nephropathy. The
accumulation of IgA in the kidneys often reduces the ability of the kidneys to
filter dangerous wastes from the body. Over time, your kidneys may stop
functioning.
Conventional treatment focuses on slowing the disease and preventing
complications, and the curative effect is always not satisfactory. Based on 26
years' clinical practices, experts in our hospital develop the latest treatment
for kidney disease, called immunotherapy. We have made great achievements in
treating IgA Nephropathy from the root with immunotherapy. This therapy brings
new hope to more and more kidney disease patients from all over the world.