[IgA nephropathy. Morphology, clinical picture and significance of mesangial fibrin deposits].

IgA nephropathy was diagnosed in 114 biopsies from 107 patients comprising 78% men. Light microscopy revealed most frequently mild proliferative glomerulonephritis with frequent though rudimentary extracapillary proliferation (in one quarter of the biopsies). Allergic manifestations in the case-history were recorded in 14% of the patients. Almost in one third of the patients the disease started by macroscopic erythrocyturia. A typical finding in urine was predominating erythrocyturia (tens of millions in Addis sediment) over proteinuria (usually less than 1.5 g/24 h). Cumulative "renal survival rate" ten year after biopsy was 84%, the cumulative ratio of remissions was 30%. Mesangial fibrinoid deposits were found in half the patients with a severe course of the condition.