The nephrotic syndrome in IgA glomerulonephritis: response to corticosteroid therapy.

The nephrotic syndrome was observed in eight out of 170 patients with IgA glomerulonephritis (5%). Three patients had mild glomerular alterations, all of them were normotensive, had normal renal function and responded to treatment with corticosteroids. In five patients moderate to marked mesangial changes associated with segmental sclerosing or proliferative lesions were seen. These patients were hypertensive and four of them had renal insufficiency. Three were treated with corticosteroids without response.