Treatment Guideline for IgA Nephropathy

Right treatment is the key for IgA Nephropathy patients to live a high quality life in the future. IgA Nephropathy is a glomerular disease and can be saved by another name “Berger’s Disease”. Without effective treatment, it develops to kidney failure directly, so knowing about the treatment guideline is very significant for patients. The followings it the introduction about treatment guideline for IgA Nephropathy.

Firstly, IgA Nephropathy patients who presented with decreased kidney function may suffer from various symptoms like proteinuria, hematuria, elevated blood pressure and anemia and so on. These symptoms always occur as a result of kidney damages, but in turn they accelerate kidney problem directly. Therefore, to stop IgA Nephropathy from developing kidney failure, bringing these symptoms under control firstly is very meaningful.

Secondly, IgA is short for Immunoglobulin A which is the primary antibody that can help our body to against infection. For people with IgA Nephropathy, large amounts of deposition of the IgA antibody can be detected in the glomerulus. These deposition cause inflammation which can damage our glomerular filtration membrane which takes charge of keeping red blood cells from being filtered. When this membrane is damaged, excessive red blood cells leak out and into urine, as a result of which, hematuria is formed. Therefore, right treatment for IgA Nephropathy must be able to clear IgA deposition away from glomerulus.

Thirdly, since IgA Nephropathy is an immune related problem, the treatment should be able to adjust patient’s immune system. Each of our human being has a strong immune system which can help us fight against foreign invaders. However, once this powerful system is disordered, bacteria and viruses invade our body. To stop these harmful substances from damaging our tissues, our body secrete corresponding antibodies to against them. When large amounts of IgA are secreted and fail to work properly, they and immune complexes, the combination of IgA antibody and antigen, deposit in glomerulus, and thus lead to inflammation. Since IgA Nephropathy is closely related with patient’s immune system, the treatment should be able to help sufferers normalize immune system. Once immune system becomes normal, no harmful substances invade our body and also no further kidney damages are caused. Therefore, adjusting immune system is one of the essential step in the treatment.

Fourthly, foods we eat affect our health directly. Therefore, it is of great importance for IgA Nephropathy patients to adjust their diet according to their illness condition. Generally speaking, with kidney damages, they need to limit salt intake, protein intake, phosphorus intake and potassium intake if lab tests show they have high potassium and high phosphorus.

Lastly, IgA Nephropathy is a chronic kidney problem and may have acute progression in many cases, so it is necessary for IgA Nephropathy patients to avoid the risky factors like cold and infection. This is the general introduction about treatment guideline for IgA Nephropathy and if there is anything unclear, please feel free to consult our consultant online or leave us message directly.