Prevalence of IgA2 Deposits in IgA Nephropathies — A Clue to Their Pathogenesis

GLOMERULAR deposits of IgA are common and are thought to play an important part in the pathogenesis of several different diseases. Primary IgA nephropathy (Berger's disease) is a common type of glomerulonephritis that occurs chiefly in early adult life; the patient presents with a history of recurrent episodes of macroscopic or microscopic hematuria. The onset of symptoms has been reported to coincide with or follow soon after an upper-respiratory-tract infection or gastroenteritis. Renal impairment is usually mild, but some patients progress to end-stage renal failure, and the disease tends to recur in grafted kidneys after transplantation.¹ Glomerular lesions characterized by . . .