Recurrent IgA nephropathy in living-related donor transplantation: recurrence or transmission of familial disease?

We describe a patient who developed terminal renal failure of two HLA-identical renal allografts due to crescentic IgA nephropathy. The first graft contained IgA deposits at the time of donation, suggesting that transmission of IgA deposits may have contributed to the nephritis of the first allograft. The second graft was free of IgA deposits at the time of donation, but the recipient developed a similar, rapidly progressive nephritis. This case points up the malignant potential of IgA nephropathy and the complex nature of transplant planning for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) secondary to IgA nephropathy. Living-related donor (LRD) transplants seem to be associated with a higher rate of recurrence than cadaveric grafts. This higher rate may partly reflect the inadvertent transmission of subclinical IgA deposits from donor to recipient and a genetic susceptibility of certain HLA types (specifically B35 and DR4) to recurrent disease. Cadaveric transplants may be preferable in the setting of high-risk HLA types or familial patterns of IgA nephropathy.