How is IgA Nephropathy Diagnosed?
The first sign of IgAN is often blood in urine. Should this occur, you should immediately consult your doctor. If your doctor suspects IgAN, he or she will most likely order urine tests as well as a kidney biopsy which is the only way to confirm the diagnosis with certainty
How is IgA Nephropathy Treated?
There is no current cure for IgAN and that is why the IgA Nephropathy Foundation was founded. Since the disease varies from one person to another, there is no definite progression or course that the disease will take. What works for one person may have virtually no effect on another, but our goal is to bring those with IgAN together to share experiences and bring awareness to this disease.
Since there is no cure, treatments focus on slowing the progression of the disease and preventing complications. Some individuals experience complete remission, while others live normal lives with medications to treat their symptoms (such as high blood pressure meds, immunosuppressants, omega 3 fatty acids & vitamin E supplements), yet others experience complete kidney failure (end-stage kidney disease) and require either dialysis or a kidney transplant depending on the severity. It is estimated that as many as half of those affected with IgAN will develop end-stage renal disease. This poses one large problem… there aren’t enough kidneys and many patients wait on the transplant list for years.
About Us
The IgA Nephropathy Foundation’s mission is to be a patient-centric organization focused on finding a cure for IgA Nephropathy. Using the power of the patient community we are focused on funding research, using patient advocacy to empower our patients, and building a network of support. As a patient run organization, we will work together with the hope of finding better treatment options and the ultimate cure. By patients, for patients.