Epidemiology, baseline characteristics and risk of progression in the first South-Asian prospective longitudinal observational IgA nephropathy cohort

Abstract Introduction Glomerular Research And Clinical Experiments- IgA Nephropathy in Indians (GRACE IgANI) is the first prospective South Asian IgAN cohort with protocolized follow-up and extensive biosample collection. Here we report the baseline clinical, biochemical and histopathological characteristics of GRACE IgANI and calculate baseline risk of progression for the cohort. Methods 201 incident adults with kidney biopsy proven primary IgAN were recruited into GRACE-IgANI between March 2015 and September 2017. As of 30th April 2020, the cohort had completed a median follow-up of 30 (IQR 16-39) months. Results The commonest clinical presentation in GRACE IgANI was hypertension, with or without proteinuria, and nephrotic range proteinuria was present in 34%, despite Conclusions The predicted risk of progression in this cohort was considerable. Over the next 5 years we will dissect the pathogenic pathways that underlie this severe South Asian IgAN phenotype.