National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

IgA nephropathy



Other Names:
Nephritis, IGA type; IGAN; Glomerulonephritis, IGA; Nephritis, IGA type; IGAN; Glomerulonephritis, IGA; Berger's disease; Berger disease See More
Categories:
This disease is grouped under:

IgA nephropathy is a kidney disorder that occurs when IgA (immunoglobulin A), a protein that helps the body fight infections, settles in the kidneys. IgA nephropathy can occur at any age, even in childhood. After many years, deposits of IgA may cause the kidneys to leak blood and sometimes protein in the urine. In the early stages, IgA nephropathy has no symptoms. The first sign of this condition may be blood in the urine. After 10 to 20 years, the kidneys may show signs of damage and 20-40% of adults develop end-stage kidney disease.[1]

In most instances, the cause of this condition is unknown; however, certain disorders have been linked with IgA nephropathy, such as cirrhosis of the liver, celiac disease, and HIV infection. Although IgA nephropathy usually occurs in a family with no other affected members, several cases of familial IgA nephropathy have been reported.[2] Familial IgA nephropathy is suspected to run through families in an autosomal dominant manner and is linked to genetic material on the long arm of chromosome 6 (6q22-23).[2][3] There is no cure for this condition. Treatment focuses on slowing the disease and preventing complications.[1]
Last updated: 11/18/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

Showing of 9 |
Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Arthralgia
Joint pain
0002829
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Hematuria
Blood in urine
0000790
Hypertension 0000822
IgA deposition in the glomerulus 0000794
Nephritis
Kidney inflammation
0000123
Proteinuria
High urine protein levels
Protein in urine
[ more ]
0000093
Purpura
Red or purple spots on the skin
0000979
Stage 5 chronic kidney disease 0003774
Showing of 9 |
Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • The Centers for Mendelian Genomics program is working to discover the causes of rare genetic disorders. For more information about applying to the research study, please visit their website.
  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to IgA nephropathy. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • The Autoimmune Registry supports research for IgA nephropathy by collecting information about patients with this and other autoimmune diseases. You can join the registry to share your information with researchers and receive updates about participating in new research studies. Learn more about registries.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Providing General Support


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss IgA nephropathy. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. IgA Nephropathy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. November 2015; http://www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/iganephropathy/.
  2. Brake, M. IgA Nephropathy. Medscape. July 23, 2016; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/239927.
  3. Victor A. McKusick. IgA NEPHROPATHY, SUSCEPTIBILITY TO, 1; IGAN1. In: Ada Hamosh. OMIM. 2/17/2016; http://www.omim.org/entry/161950.