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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffIgA nephropathy is often detected after you notice blood in your urine or when a routine test shows you have protein or blood in your urine. These could be signs of several types of kidney disease. To identify your problem, these tests may be performed:
- Urine test. Blood or protein in the urine may be the first sign of IgA nephropathy. This may be discovered as part of a routine checkup. If your doctor suspects that you have problems with your kidneys, you may need to collect your urine for a 24-hour period for additional kidney function tests.
- Blood tests. If you have kidney disease, such as IgA nephropathy, a blood test may show increased blood levels of the waste product creatinine.
- Iothalamate clearance test. Your doctor may also recommend an iothalamate clearance test, which uses a special contrast agent to track how well your kidneys are filtering wastes.
- Kidney imaging. Ultrasound or X-rays also may be used to evaluate the shape or size of your kidneys. A cystoscopy can rule out other causes of bleeding in the urinary tract.
- Kidney biopsy. The only way for your doctor to confirm a diagnosis of IgA nephropathy is with a kidney biopsy. This procedure involves using a special biopsy needle to extract small pieces of kidney tissue for microscopic examination to determine if there are IgA deposits in the glomeruli.
References
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IgA nephropathy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/iganephropathy/. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Nephrotic syndrome. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec17/ch235/ch235b.html. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Barratt J, et al. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Barratt J, et al. Pathogenesis of IgA nephropathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2013.
- Cattran DC, et al. Treatment and prognosis of IgA nephropathy. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Lv J, et al. Corticosteroid therapy in IgA nephropathy. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2012;23:1108.
- IgA nephropathy. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/iganeph.cfm. Accessed March 15, 2013.
- Your guide to lowering blood pressure. National Institutes of Health. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/hbp_low/index.htm. Accessed March 16, 2013.
- Miller HL. Decision Support System. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 8, 2013.
- PEERS Lending Support. National Kidney Foundation. http://www.kidney.org/patients/peers/index.cfm. Accessed March 16, 2013.
- Fervenza FC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2013.
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