IgA nephropathy (ORPHA code: 34145) is a rare, serious condition in the complex field of renal diseases. It is an immune-mediated kidney disease that progresses over time. It emerges as a significant contributor to renal failure on a global scale. This article provides new information about this complex renal disorder. It was co-authored by Elena Mitova, MD and Georgi Stefanov, MD from the Institute for Rare Diseases in Plovdiv, and prof. Julian Ananiev of department of General and Clinical Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Deontology and Dermatovenerology, Medical Faculty, Trakia University, Stara Zagora. Their combined efforts create a narrative that clarifies the complex epidemiological environment of IgA nephropathy.
The diagnosis of IgAN can only be confirmed by performing a puncture kidney biopsy, which is the „gold standard“ for the diagnosis of this type of kidney disease. Within 10–20 years of diagnosis, nearly 50% of IgAN patients develop end-stage renal disease requiring hemodialysis and kidney transplantation. There is evidence that the epidemiology, clinical presentation, disease progression, and long-term outcomes of IgAN differ among ethnic populations worldwide. The purpose of this publication is to analyze epidemiological data on IgA nephropathy and estimate the prevalence and incidence of this disease in Bulgaria. Read the full article here.