What are the Immunotherapy Treatments for IgA Nephropathy

Conventional Treatments

Traditionally there is no special treatment for IgA nephropathy, different treatments will be used according to different clinical types, severity of the illness condition and duration of the disease. The purpose is to protect kidney functions and slow down the illness progress. Conventional treatments mainly include tripterygium wilfordii, emodin, ACEI (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors), methylprednisolone, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, diuretics. For those that have repeated tonsil inflammation, tonsil excision can help reduce hematuria and proteinuria and have long term protection of renal functions.

As symptomatic treatments, they are very effective at relieving symptoms and discomforts, however they can not solve the deposition of IgA and there will be more deposition, that is why IgA is easy to relapse and the kidney functions will continue to deteriorate.

Immunotherapy

Since IgA Nephropathy is an auto-immune disease, the key point is to regulate the disorders and imbalances of the immune system and enhance immunity.

1. Immune diagnosis. Only if we make everything clear of the disease can we treat it targeted and effectively. Though patients are all diagnosed with IgA Nephropathy, the antibodies level and amount and position of different kinds of toxins vary from person to person. We should also know the severity degree of glomerular and tubular damages. Therefore, some tests have to be done for guiding the treatment. Tests of beta 2 microglobin, Cystatin C, homocysteine and retinol binding protein are necessary.

2. Immune blockage . According to scientific diagnosis, the dose and duration of medicines will be very accurate. Scientific use of immunosuppressants will bring the abnormal immune inflammatory reactions in the kidneys well under control so as to prevent further damages to the renal cells and tissues.

3. Immune tolerance. As the disease often relapses, we have to assess the disease condition before inflammation in the kidneys becomes serious again. Giving small dose of immunosuppressants regularly can prevent the relapse of the disease. This is to let our body accept the fact that there is immune complex in the kidneys and the antibodies will stop attacking them temporarily.

4. Immune regulation. The immune complex cannot always stay in our kidneys, so we have to remove it out sooner or later. Micro-Chinese medicine can invigorate blood circulation and remove blood stasis thus increasing the blood flow in the kidneys. The special material in the Chinese medicine will combine with the immune complex and take it out of body through blood circulation.

5. Immune protection. For the damaged and remaining inherent cells and tissues, we have to repair them and recover the kidney function. Glucocorticoid and oral intake of Chinese medicines will play key roles in this step. Active materials in micro-Chinese medicine can regulate the immune system and recover the self renewal ability of the body.

6. Immune clearance. Actually this step runs through the above five steps. Immune adsorption can effectively remove the toxic things in the body and control the disease in a short time so that we can strive more time for repairing the kidneys. Only by controlling the continuous progress of the disease can we repair the kidneys well.