IgG antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in IgA nephropathy: A clinical variant?

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) of the immunoglobulin (Ig) G isotype are associated with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. These have been detected rarely in patients with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) and have only been previously reported once in a patient with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). In contrast, IgA-ANCAs have been detected in patients with HSP or IgAN, although further verification of this finding by various investigators has yielded conflicting results. We report a case of biopsy-proven IgAN in which the patient developed a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and was determined to have ANCAs of both IgA and IgG isotypes. This report suggests an association between fulminant IgAN and ANCA-associated disease and that ANCAs may be underdetected in children with previously diagnosed IgAN. Identification of these antibodies may guide further management of these patients. (C) 1998 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.