| IgA Nephropathy: A Chronic Kidney Disease |
| This page is dedicated to our beloved daughter: Imaginary Storm, (or Meg)...and to all the other children, youth and/or families that have someone who suffers from a Kidney Disease. |
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| http://www.thechildrenshospitalhumc. net/s295/Index1.asp?MainLOB= 295&LOB=299 KIDney Resource Ring: http://www.geocities.com/eshirley_5/ KKRR.html |
| Glossary of Terms: |
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| What will happen if I have IgA Nephropathy? The outcome is very variable, and you will need to ask your specialist how things are likely to be in your case. The possibilities are:- 1) It may continue unchanged for many years, requiring only regular check-ups with blood tests. This is probably the case in a majority of patients. 2) It may go away on its own in some cases. 3) In some cases kidney failure develops, leading to the question of dialysis and/or transplantation. What are the complications of IgA Nephropathy? 1) High blood pressure may develop. This damages the kidneys and puts a strain on the heart and the rest of the circulation. Therefore high blood pressure should be treated vigorously. 2) Kidney failure may sometimes occur. If so, it develops slowly, so you need not be concerned about a sudden change in your condition. 3) There may be protein leakage from the kidneys, which leads to swollen ankles and high levels of cholesterol in the blood. Your doctor will test your urine for protein, and your blood for cholesterol. 4) There is a variant of IgA nephropathy called Henoch-Schonlein purpura. In this, the IgA antibodies affect not only the kidneys but also other parts of the body. A blotchy red rash may appear on the legs and buttocks. However, if you have had IgA nephropathy confined to the kidneys for some time, it would be very unusual for this to convert to the more serious Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Is there any Treatment? This is not an easy condition to treat, and usually doctors rely on treatment of the blood pressure. If the cholesterol is very high, treatment to reduce the levels may help. There is some evidence that some patients with deteriorating kidney function are helped with steroid (prednisolone) tablets. Your specialist will advise you whether such treatment should be tried in your case. Some specialists also use long term treatment with Maxepa (fish oil) tablets. Drug treatment may be effective in Henoch-Schonlein purpura - doctors use steroids (prednisolone), sometimes together with another drug called cyclophosphamide. Can I lead a normal life with IgA Nephropathy? In most cases this condition does not affect normal life. There is no special diet that will make the disease go away or get worse. You can continue with physical exercise and sports quite safely. The condition does not generally run in families, so you need not worry about having children. There will be some queries if you apply for mortgages or life insurance, so plan ahead and be prepared to have your doctors asked to supply a medical report. ******** Adapted from a leaflet written by Rob Higgins, Renal Consultant, Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, 1998 ********* The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for information provided. The above is for guidance only. Patients are advised to seek further information from their own doctor. http://www.kidney.org.uk/index.html |
| IgA Nephropathy 0r Berger's Disease |
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| Meg and her fur baby "Hershey Kisses" |
| A Camp for Children, Youth (and their Families) with Special Needs: http://www.boggycreek.org/ default.asp |
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| Parent & Family Resource Centre (Kidney Kids): http://www.parentandfamily.org. nz/kidneykids.htm KD Kids: http://www.inforenal.com/us kdkids/index.htm |
| Resources for Families and Kids: |
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