The role of the tubulointerstitial changes in the prognosis of IgA glomerulonephritis

The authors investigated the tubulointerstitial changes (atrophic tubuli, interstitial fibrosis and round-cell infiltration) by two methods in renal biopsies from 56 patients with IgA glomerulonephritis. A statistically significant correlation was found to exist between the tubulointerstitial changes and serum creatinine level at the time of renal biopsy. A statistical significant correlation was also established between serum creatinine at the end of a period of 5 years of follow-up and tubulointerstitial changes. Their results suggest that severe tubulointerstitial lesions in IgA glomerulonephritis carry a poor prognosis.