CONTROLLED TRIAL OF PHENYTOIN THERAPY IN IGA NEPHROPATHY

Abstract

Ig[immunoglobulin]A nephropathy, a condition thought to cause slowly progressive renal damage, is frequently associated with high serum IgA levels. As phenytoin Na lowers serum IgA concentrations, a controlled trial of therapy with this drug was conducted over a 2-yr period in patients with IgA nephropathy. Despite significant depression of serum IgA concentrations in the treatment group, there was no significant change in any other clinical, biochemical or pathological parameter, in either control or treatment groups. Indeed, there was evidence for a slow progression of renal damage in both groups. The elevated serum IgA concentrations in IgA nephropathy are probably not of primary pathogenetic significance but are rather a consequence of a basic abnormality in antigen processing and IgA production.