Idiopathic mesangial IgA-glomerulonephritis in childhood Description of 19 pediatric cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Nineteen out of 83 children with asymptomatic haematuria were classified as having IgA glomerulonephritis, characterized by diffuse mesangial deposition of IgA in the absence of systematic disease. Different histological patterns were observed: i.e., minor glomerular lesions (5 cases), focal and segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis (8 cases) and diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (6 cases). Recurrent gross haematuria is the clinical hallmark of the disease. Proteinuria was present in 14 children and exceeded 1 g/m2/day in 3 patients. Clinico-pathological correlations showed a close relation between the degree of proteinuria and the histological lesions. Serum IgA levels were elevated in 3 children. Glomerular filtration rate remained above 80 ml/min/1.73 m2 in a 1 to 9 year follow-up.