"Malignant" IgA nephropathy.

Most patients with mesangial IgA nephropathy who run a progressive course usually do so over a period of 10 to 20 years. This paper describes the course of three young men with similar presenting features and biopsy findings who progressed to end-stage renal failure in less than 4 years from presentation, even though initially all had serum creatinine levels that were in the normal range. They presented with macroscopic hematuria, which has previously been regarded as an indicator of a favorable prognosis, and all three had loin pain, constantly elevated urinary erythrocyte counts, and crescents in renal biopsies. In two cases, treatment appeared to be associated with stabilization of renal function, but deterioration to end-stage renal failure occurred rapidly after treatment was ceased.