Let's learn about IgA Nephropathy (Berger's Disease), which silently damages your kidneys.

Have you ever noticed that when you have a cold, your urine turns tea-colored? Or do you notice that your urine has a lot of foam? While many people think that these are normal things, this could be the first sign that something is wrong with your kidneys. Today we are going to talk about a condition called IgA Nephropathy, which affects our bodies silently and is something that many people have never heard of.

Simply put, what is IgA Nephropathy?

This is actually a disease that damages the kidneys due to a problem with our own immune system. To be precise, this is an autoimmune disease .

Think of our immune system as an army that defends a country. This army has a special type of soldier, which we call antibodies . Their job is to find and destroy enemies, such as viruses and bacteria, that enter the body. Immunoglobulin A, or IgA, is one such special antibody.

A person with IgA Nephropathy has a slight change, or deficiency, in some of the IgA antibodies that are produced in the body. Because of this, the other defenders in our own immune system are unable to recognize this strange IgA. They think it is an enemy from outside. So, they attack this strange IgA and clump together to form large clumps.

This damage prevents the kidneys from filtering blood properly. This causes the body to lose its chemical balance. If left untreated, this damage can progress to end-stage kidney disease.

Is there a specific cause for this disease?

Scientists still haven't found the exact cause of this disease. But it's not contagious. It's believed to have a genetic link. That means if someone in your family has it, you have a small chance of developing it too.

Also, some medical conditions can be a 'trigger' for this to start.

Although this disease can develop at any age, symptoms most often appear in people under the age of 40. Men are also twice as likely to develop it as women.

Let's find out exactly what the symptoms are.

The biggest problem with this disease is that it doesn't show any symptoms in the early stages. That's why many people don't even know they have this disease.

However, the main and most obvious symptom that some people experience is blood in the urine (hematuria) when they have something like a cold, flu, or throat infection . The urine may appear tea-colored, cola-colored, or even red. Once the infection is gone, the urine returns to its normal color.

The other main symptom is foamy urine . This is caused by the excretion of protein in the urine (proteinuria).

In addition to these, there may be several other symptoms:

• Swelling in the legs, especially the ankles.
• High blood pressure (Hypertension).
• If the disease persists for a long time, symptoms of kidney failure may appear.

How do you find this, Doctor?

If you have these symptoms, your doctor will first do a urine test to check for blood or protein in the urine. However, since these can be seen in many other kidney diseases, it alone cannot confirm IgA Nephropathy.

Don't be alarmed when you hear this. This is a routine test done in a hospital. The doctor numbs your back, inserts a very fine needle into a scanner, and takes a very small piece of tissue from your kidney. Then, they examine it under a microscope to see if IgA clumps are present and how much damage has been done to your kidney. This test not only confirms the disease, but also helps the doctor decide the best treatment for you.

Treatment methods and management

There is currently no cure for this disease. But don't worry! There are now very effective treatments that can control the disease, reduce damage to the kidneys, and help you live a healthy and long life.

The main goals of treatment are:

• Controlling blood pressure.
• Reducing protein excretion in the urine.
• Slowing down kidney damage.

For this, your doctor may prescribe you treatments such as:

• Blood pressure medications: Medications like ACE inhibitors and ARBs are commonly used for this. These not only control blood pressure, but also help protect the kidneys.
• Immune-suppressing medications: Steroid medications like Prednisone or newer medications like Nefecon may be given to reduce inflammation in the kidneys.
• Newly introduced medications: Modern medications like Sparsentan (Filspari) and Iptacopan (Fabhalta) help protect kidney function by reducing protein excretion in the urine.
• Diuretics: If there is swelling in the body, these medications help to eliminate excess water through urine.
• Cholesterol-lowering medications: Some people may have elevated cholesterol levels. Medications like statins are prescribed for this.

Lifestyle changes are very important

In addition to medication, small changes to your lifestyle can go a long way in protecting your kidneys.

• Reduce salt intake: Reduce the amount of salt in your food. Avoid packaged foods and artificial sweeteners. These are high in salt.
• Control protein: Talk to your doctor or nutritionist to determine the right amount of protein for you. Consuming too much protein puts extra strain on your kidneys.
• Omega-3 fatty acids: Fish oil supplements are a good idea. However, be sure to ask your doctor before taking any supplements.
• Avoid painkillers: Do not take painkillers like NSAIDs (e.g. Ibuprofen, Diclofenac) without your doctor's advice. These can be harmful to your kidneys.
• Avoid smoking: Smoking reduces blood flow to the kidneys and also reduces the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
• Check your blood pressure regularly: Measure and record your blood pressure at home.

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