Efficacy of tonsillectomy for the treatment of immunoglobulin A nephropathy recurrence after kidney transplantation

Background: Post-transplant recurrent nephritis is the third common complication that leads to graft loss, which affects the long-term graft survival of kidney transplant patients. Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common for recurrent nephritis, with a recurrence rate of 13–53%. In this study, 12 patients diagnosed with recurrent IgAN were divided into two groups, one which underwent tonsillectomy and another which did not, to analyze the effect of treating IgAN recurrent with or without tonsillectomy. Methods: Urinary findings, estimated GFR (eGFR), and histopathological alteration (Banff and Oxford classifications) were examined for >5 years after kidney transplantation. Results: We found that tonsillectomy protected graft function and prevented pathological alterations. The levels of urinary proteins increased in the no tonsillectomy group, whereas no difference was observed in the severity of hematuria between two groups. eGFR declined and mesangial hypercellularity score increased in the no tonsillectomy group. Conclusions: Tonsillectomy not only results in a favorable clinical outcome but also protects against the histological damage caused by recurrent IgAN after kidney transplantation.