IgA nephropathy as the initial presentation of celiac disease in an adolescent

Abstract

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (Berger's disease) is the most common glomerulonephritis worldwide. The disease typically is chronic and lifelong and eventually progresses to impaired renal function in a substantial proportion of cases. It has been known for some time that there is a correlation between IgA nephropathy and celiac disease, but until now it has remained unclear whether treatment of the underlying celiac disease has any meaningful impact on the progression of the renal disease. Therefore, until now, screening for celiac disease in patients presenting with IgA nephropathy has not been universally recommended in the absence of suggestive gastrointestinal symptoms. This report describes a case of IgA nephropathy in an adolescent boy that turned out to be the initial presentation of celiac disease. More importantly, it documents the complete laboratory normalization of his renal anomalies at 5-year follow-up after treatment of his celiac disease with implementation of a gluten-free diet. This case highlights the importance of awareness that suspected IgA nephropathy, even in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, should prompt screening for underlying celiac disease as a potential, and possibly treatable, cause.