Malignant or accelerated hypertension in IgA nephropathy.

A retrospective analysis of 66 adult patients diagnosed as having IgA nephropathy by renal biopsy revealed that 24 (36%) were hypertensive when first seen. Of these hypertensive patients, 10 (15%) had malignant or accelerated hypertension. All patients but one were male and had no knowledge of their renal disease and sought medical advice for symptoms due to hypertension. Five patients had no history of gross hematuria. Histological vascular findings showed, in three proliferative endarteritis and fibrinoid necrosis, in five arteriolosclerosis and in two vascular hypertrophy. In spite of good blood pressure control, six patients reached terminal uremia within a maximum of 14 months. In summary, the incidence of malignant hypertension in adults with IgA nephropathy is higher than previously reported, and its true incidence can only be known if more histopathologic studies of patients with malignant hypertension are performed. Patients with this association reach end stage renal failure in a short period of time.