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. 2023 Aug 1;4(8):1112-1122.
doi: 10.34067/KID.0000000000000165. Epub 2023 May 25.

Global Incidence of IgA Nephropathy by Race and Ethnicity: A Systematic Review

Krzysztof Kiryluk  1 , Daniel E Freedberg  2   3 , Jai Radhakrishnan  1 , Leslie Segall  3 , Judith S Jacobson  3 , Mohit Mathur  4 , Sumit Mohan  1   3 , Alfred I Neugut  3   5
Affiliations

Global Incidence of IgA Nephropathy by Race and Ethnicity: A Systematic Review

Krzysztof Kiryluk et al. Kidney360. .

Abstract

Key Points:

  1. In 16 studies conducted abroad, IgA nephropathy incidence varied from 0.06 in South Africa to 4.2 per 100,000 in Japan.

  2. Globally, the incidence of IgA nephropathy seemed higher in Asians than in non-Asians and higher in male patients than in female patients.

  3. Five studies conducted in the United States found no consistent difference in incidence between Black patients and White patients.

Background: The reported incidence of IgA nephropathy varies widely across studies and may vary on the basis of race/ethnicity. This study systematically reviewed the incidence of IgA nephropathy in the United States and other countries and explored variability on the basis of the racial/ethnic composition and other demographic characteristics of different populations.

Methods: This was a systematic review. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they contained data collected from January 1, 1974, to December 31, 2021, and reported IgA nephropathy incidence at a population level (i.e., cases of IgA nephropathy per 100,000 population).

Results: Five US and 16 international studies were included; three of the US studies reported the race-specific incidence of IgA nephropathy. In the United States, the reported incidence of IgA nephropathy ranged from 0.39 per 100,000 in Tennessee to 1.4 per 100,000 in Minnesota; internationally, IgA nephropathy ranged from 0.06 per 100,000 in South Africa to 4.2 per 100,000 in Japan. Findings regarding the incidence of IgA nephropathy in the United States by race were inconsistent: One study found a higher incidence among White patients compared with Black patients, one study found a lower incidence in White patients, and one study found no difference. Globally, the incidence of IgA nephropathy seemed to be higher in Asian than in non-Asian populations and higher in male patients than in female patients.

Conclusions: Reported incidence of IgA nephropathy varies widely; there is no consensus regarding the relationship between race and IgA nephropathy. Incidence rates seemed to be higher in Asians than non-Asians and in male patients than female patients. We recommend that future studies should report IgA nephropathy incidence rates by race/ethnicity and account for the demographic characteristics of the background population.

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Conflict of interest statement

J.S. Jacobson reports the following—research funding: Otsuka. K. Kiryluk reports the following—consultancy: Calvariate and HiBio and research funding: Aevi Genomics, AstraZeneca, Bioporto, Vanda, and Visterra. S. Mohan reports the following—consultancy: Angion Biomedica, eGenesis, and HSAG; advisory or leadership role: Deputy Editor, Kidney International Reports (ISN); member, ASN Quality committee; member, SRTR Review Committee; National Faculty Chair, ETCLC; and Vice Chair, UNOS, Data advisory committee; and other interests or relationships: Research Funding from NIH (NIDDK, NIHMD and NIBIB) and Kidney Transplant Collaborative. A.I. Neugut reports the following—consultancy: Eisai, GlaxoSmithKline, Hospira, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, United Biosource Corporation, and Value Analytics; research funding: Otsuka Pharmaceuticals; and advisory or leadership role: Medical advisory board of EHE Intl. J. Radhakrishnan reports the following—consultancy: Angion Biomedica, Ani Pharmaceuticals, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Chinook, Equillium Bio, Goldfinch Bio, Novartis, Reata Pharmaceuticals, Reistone Biopharma, Sanofi Genzyme, and Travere Therapeutics; research funding: Bayer, Goldfinch Bio, Travere Therapeutics, and Vertex pharmaceuticals; honoraria: Angion Biomedica, Ani Pharmaceuticals, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Chinook, Equillium Bio, Goldfinch Bio, Novartis, Reata Pharmaceuticals, Reistone Biopharma, Sanofi Genzyme, and Travere Therapeutics; and advisory or leadership role: Kidney International and Kidney International Reports. All the remaining authors have nothing to disclose.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flow diagram of studies reviewed.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Relationship between proportion of White patients in the background population and incidence of IgA nephropathy, in the five US incidence studies. The size of the marker reflects the size of the background population of each study.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Racial/ethnic composition of US locations, taken from the five US studies. Data not reported in the study were collected from census reports collected at the end of the study periods. The composition of the entire US population is shown for comparative purposes.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Variability of IgA nephropathy across populations internationally and in the US, as described in the text. (A) Incidence of IgA nephropathy in US and international studies. (B) Incidence of IgA nephropathy in US and international studies, with US incidence data presented separately on the basis of race.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Proportion of male patients with incident IgA nephropathy in US and international studies. Male patients are represented as colored bars and female patients represented as gray bars within US and international studies reporting the proportion of IgA nephropathy–positive biopsies on the basis of sex. Only studies reporting sex data were included in this figure.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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