CHRONIC TONSILLITIS AND IGA NEPHROPATHY

The authors studied the effect of tonsillectomy for IgA nephropathy an d the relationship between chronic tonsillitis and IgA nephropathy. Fo rty-five patients with IgA nephropathy were treated by tonsillectomy i n our department. The effective rate of hematuria type IgA nephropathy was 86.2% and that of non-hematuria type 62.5%. We also determined th e immunoglobin composition of the tonsilla tissue in 18 IgA nephropath y patients and compared it with that of 18 chronic tonsillitis patient s. The immunoglobin level of the IgA nephropathy group was higher than that of the contrast group, indicating that the disorder of tonsilla immunity may be one of the pathogenic factors for IgA nephropathy. Sin ce no specific method has been available for the treatment of IgA neph ropathy, we use tonsillectomy as an effective procedure.