Tailored management strategies for IgA nephropathy based on clinical presentations

Abstract

The treatment landscape for immunoglobulin A nephropathy is rapidly evolving with the introduction of novel therapies targeting diverse disease pathways. Some have already been approved in different countries, while others are under investigation in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with encouraging results. However, almost all performed RCTs have included only patients with refractory non-nephrotic proteinuria and preserved renal function. Other clinical presentations (rapidly progressive forms, malignant hypertension, thrombotic microangiopathy, nephrotic syndrome) have received less attention and are systematically excluded from RCTs. In contrast, certain aspects, such as the impact of haematuria or management in special populations (e.g. pregnant patients or transplant recipients), remain underexplored. This review proposes therapeutic algorithms to guide treatment decisions in different clinical scenarios while highlighting gaps in current research.

Keywords: IgA nephropathy; haematuria; kidney transplant; pregnancy; proteinuria.