IgA Nephropathy with Crescents: A Single-Center Experience

The presence of crescents in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) has been associated with a poor prognosis. We assess the prognosis of crescents in our patients with IgAN.IgAN was diagnosed in 73 patients biopsied at Rush University Medical Center from 1992 to 2020, and crescents were seen in 26 (36%). Clinical, laboratory and histologic features at biopsy, and treatment and outcome (end-stage kidney disease, ESKD) were collected retrospectively. Data are presented as mean ± SD and a p value of <0.05 was significant.There was no difference in hypertension, SCr, or eGFR in patients with crescents compared to those without crescents but patients with crescents had higher UPro/Cr ratio (2.8 ± 2.7 vs. 1.7 ± 1.7 g/g, p 0.04). The percentage of glomeruli with global and segmental sclerosis (32 ± 25% vs. 38 ± 28%, p 0.35) and the proportion of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (22 ± 20% vs. 22 ± 22%, p 0.76) were similar. Only 19% of patients with crescents had lesions involving ≥25% of glomeruli. A larger proportion of patients with crescents were treated with immunosuppressive agents (70% vs. 21%, p 0.0005). After 8.4 ± 7 years of follow-up, ESKD (19% vs. 23%, p 0.77) and renal survival at 10 years (80% vs. 74%, p 0.99) were similar in patients with and without crescents.The presence of crescents in IgAN was not associated with an increased risk of progression to ESKD. This may be a result of the fact that the majority of our patients had crescents involving <25% of glomeruli and received aggressive treatment with immunosuppressive agents.