IgA nephropathy is a common kidney disease that’s been tricky to understand and treat. This is partly because it’s hard to diagnose—you often need a kidney biopsy to confirm it.
Plus, until now, we didn’t know much about what causes the disease. As a result, there’s no specific medicine approved to treat it.
A Decade-Long Global Study Unveils New Clues
Researchers from Columbia University teamed up with nearly 200 scientists and doctors from over 100 institutions across four continents to find answers.
For over ten years, they collected blood samples from tens of thousands of people, some with IgA nephropathy and others without it.
The goal? To look for clues in their DNA that could help explain where this disease comes from. The study is the biggest of its kind for IgA nephropathy.
Major Findings: It’s Not Just About the Kidneys
The researchers found 16 new areas in our DNA that are linked to the disease. Most of these DNA areas have a role in controlling the IgA antibodies that our body produces.
This is a big deal because it suggests that the disease isn’t just a “kidney problem.” Instead, it’s more likely an “immune system problem.” Knowing this opens up new ways to think about detecting and treating the disease.
The team also developed a way to tell who’s at higher risk of their disease getting worse, leading to kidney failure. This is important because it can help doctors know who needs more aggressive treatment.
Finally, they found that some existing medicines, already being tested for other health problems, could be useful for treating IgA nephropathy.
What’s Next: New Hopes for Treatment
The study’s lead author, Krzysztof Kiryluk, is hopeful that these new insights will pave the way for new treatments. He believes that drug companies might be more willing to develop new medicines now that they have this new information.
This research not only helps us understand what might cause this common kidney disease but also points the way to new treatments. So, there’s renewed hope for the many people who are dealing with IgA nephropathy.
If you care about kidney health, please read studies about drug that prevents kidney failure in diabetes, and drinking coffee could help reduce risk of kidney injury.
For more information about kidney health, please see recent studies about foods that may prevent recurrence of kidney stones, and common painkillers may harm heart, kidneys and more.
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