Tomino 
IGA Nephropathy [PDF ebook] 
From Molecules to Men.

The author of this volume has studied Ig A nephropathy for nearly 25 years, almost as long as primary Ig A nephropathy has been recognized as a new disease. Ig A nephropathy, considered to be an immune-complex-mediated glomerulonephri tis, is characterized by granular deposition of Ig A (mainly Ig A1) and C3 in the glomerular mesangial areas and is defined as nephropathy showing pro- liferative changes in the glomerular mesangial cells and increases in the mesangial matrices. Apart from being one of the most common types of chronic glomerulonephritis, it is also the most frequent case of end-stage renal disease. Since the pathogenesis of Ig A nephropathy is still obscure, specific treatment is not yet available. Previous approaches have included tonsillectomy, anticoagulants, prednisolone, immunosuppressants, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and others. During his career, the author of this book has studied many aspects of Ig A nephropathy, shedding much light on the mechanism of development and progression of this disease. He also undertook new treatments for patients and developed animal models for Ig A nephropathy. The purpose of the present volume is to review the authors work on pathogenesis and treatment of the disease and to provide the most up-to-date findings on this subject, constituting a valuable source of information for nephrologists, general practitioners, residents and interns.