Why doesn't IgA nephropathy cause swelling?

Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
Updated on September 02, 2024
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IgA nephropathy refers to the abnormal deposition of IgA immunoglobulin in the glomeruli of patients, which causes an inflammatory response and damages the glomerular capillaries. The extent of this damage varies, so not all patients will experience swelling. If the condition is severe, causing significant proteinuria, patients may develop hypoproteinemia and consequent decrease in plasma colloidal osmotic pressure, leading to swelling. If renal failure has occurred, the kidneys' ability to excrete water decreases, which can also cause swelling. Some patients may experience swelling due to damage to the renal tubules, which increases the reabsorption capacity for water. Otherwise, patients may not show obvious swelling, such as those with only mild proteinuria and hematuria, whose clinical symptoms are not pronounced.

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
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Can patients with IgA nephropathy eat beef?

Diet plays a very important role in the treatment of IgA nephropathy patients. For IgA nephropathy patients, the general dietary requirement is to eat a light diet, avoid spicy foods, and avoid fried foods. IgA nephropathy patients can eat beef. Beef contains animal protein, which is a high-quality protein with essential amino acids that are easily absorbed and utilized by the human body. Of course, if IgA nephropathy patients have normal kidney function, there aren't too many restrictions on their diet compared to healthy individuals. They should mainly consume fresh vegetables and fruits, and avoid pickles, salty vegetables, and fermented vegetables. If there is accompanying kidney dysfunction, it is advisable to minimize the intake of plant proteins and limit the consumption of plant-based proteins such as soy products.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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IgA nephropathy manifestations

IgA nephropathy is a pathological type of chronic glomerulonephritis. The clinical manifestations of this disease are diverse, with the typical clinical presentation of IgA nephropathy being hematuria, especially visible hematuria following a cold. However, patients may also exhibit other features, such as significant amounts of urinary protein. In some cases, this can reach the level of 3.5g in a 24-hour urine protein quantification. Patients may experience edema, such as swelling in the lower limbs, eyelids, etc. There could also be clinical presentations of high blood pressure, rapid progression of renal failure, and other symptoms.

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
55sec home-news-image

Why doesn't IgA nephropathy cause swelling?

IgA nephropathy refers to the abnormal deposition of IgA immunoglobulin in the glomeruli of patients, which causes an inflammatory response and damages the glomerular capillaries. The extent of this damage varies, so not all patients will experience swelling. If the condition is severe, causing significant proteinuria, patients may develop hypoproteinemia and consequent decrease in plasma colloidal osmotic pressure, leading to swelling. If renal failure has occurred, the kidneys' ability to excrete water decreases, which can also cause swelling. Some patients may experience swelling due to damage to the renal tubules, which increases the reabsorption capacity for water. Otherwise, patients may not show obvious swelling, such as those with only mild proteinuria and hematuria, whose clinical symptoms are not pronounced.

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Written by Li Liu Sheng
Nephrology
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How to treat IgA nephropathy?

IgA nephropathy has many clinical manifestations and pathological types, and the treatment of IgA nephropathy is selected based on different clinical manifestations and pathological types. Usually, for patients with IgA nephropathy who only show microscopic hematuria, drug treatment is not necessary. They only need to regularly monitor routine urine tests, kidney function, and blood pressure changes in daily life, and must avoid using medications that are toxic to the kidneys. If the patient presents with gross hematuria related to tonsillar infection, tonsillectomy is recommended. If an IgA nephropathy patient has increased urinary protein, and the 24-hour urinary protein quantification exceeds 1g, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers can be used. Of course, for patients with significant proteinuria, steroids or immunosuppressants may also be used. In addition, IgA nephropathy patients can also be treated with traditional Chinese medicine. (Medication use should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Zhou Qi
Nephrology
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The characteristics of proteinuria in IgA nephropathy

IgA nephropathy is a pathological type of chronic glomerulonephritis, which can cause patients to exhibit symptoms such as proteinuria and hematuria. Regarding the characteristics of proteinuria, it is generally primarily glomerular proteinuria. In the classification of patients' proteinuria, glomerular proteinuria accounts for a large proportion. If IgA nephropathy presents as chronic nephritis or nephrotic syndrome, the patient's level of proteinuria will be quite severe, with significant amounts of proteinuria, where the 24-hour urinary protein quantification may exceed 1g or even reach more than 3.5g. However, not all patients with IgA nephropathy have such high levels of proteinuria; some may only have mild proteinuria.