Clinicopathologic features and treatment response in nephrotic IgA nephropathy with minimal change disease

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinicopathological features and therapeutic response of nephrotic IgA nephropathy (IgAN) patients with minimal-change disease (MCD). METHODS: 62 nephrotic IgAN patients were enrolled between January 2002 and December 2008, and divided into two groups including Group A: patients with MCD-like pathological features, and Group B with non-MCD pathologic pattern. The clinicopathological features, treatments, and responses were then analyzed. RESULTS: 13 (21.0%) patients exhibited MCD-like pathological changes. Patients in Group A presented more prominent proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia but higher hemoglobin and no incidence of renal insufficiency compared to Group B (p < 0.05). 62 patients were treated with corticosteroid, and the complete remission rate in Group A is higher than that in Group B (84.6% vs. 34.7%, p = 0.008), but the relapse rate is much higher in Group A (53.8% vs. 20.4%, p = 0.03). 21 patients were treated combining with immunosuppressant due to unresponsiveness or relapse, which yielded a high re-remission rate in Group A (100%). After follow-up of 53.9 ± 26.9 months, the 5-year renal survival rate is higher in Group A (100%) than that in Group B (84.7%), but no significant difference was observed (p = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: MCD-like pathological changes exist in quite a few nephrotic IgAN patients. These IgAN patients responded well to corticosteroid monotherapy but had a higher rate of relapse. Though manifesting with severe nephrotic symptoms, they tended to have a favorable clinical outcome probably due to the minimal pathological changes. Nevertheless, larger sample size and longer follow-up periods are needed for better understanding of the disease.