American Thoracic Society, American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 2(156), p. 665-668, 1997
DOI: 10.1164/ajrccm.156.2.9610043
Full text: Unavailable
IgA nephropathy is a common form of glomerulonephritis, classically manifested by asymptomatic hematuria. Although the exact pathophysiologic mechanism is still unknown, renal damage has been related to mesangial deposition of IgA-containing immune complexes. In recent years, some lung diseases have been associated with IgA nephropathy, including pulmonary hemorrhage and sarcoidosis. We report a patient with idiopathic bronchiolitis obliterans who developed a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis due to IgA deposits. Extensive deposits of IgA were also found in the lungs, thus suggesting a pathogenetic role for IgA in tissue injury at both organ levels. To our knowledge this association has not been previously described in the literature.