Kidney Transplant Benefits and Risks for IgA Nephropathy
Urological HealthKidney Diseases

Kidney Transplantation for IgA Nephropathy: Benefits and Risks

Kidney Transplantation for IgA Nephropathy: Benefits and Risks
Getty Images; Everyday Health
By
Published on June 30, 2026
by
Add us on Google
One of the treatment options your care team may discuss with you if you’re living with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is kidney transplantation, a surgery that places a healthy donated kidney into your body to do the work instead of your damaged kidneys.

A discussion about kidney transplantation doesn’t necessarily mean you have or will have kidney failure. In fact, healthcare teams begin talking about transplantation early after diagnosis to inform people about their options should they eventually progress to end-stage kidney disease, says Randi J. Ryan, MD, a transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

It’s important to know that not everyone with IgAN will need a kidney transplant.

 At the same time, a kidney transplant isn’t something doctors consider only after every other option has failed. For many people with IgAN, it can be a proactive step that may reduce many of the health risks associated with kidney failure and avoid the need for dialysis.

Like any treatment, a kidney transplant comes with potential benefits, risks, and long-term considerations, and your care team can help you understand what those mean for you.

Next up video playing in 10 seconds

The IgAN Post-Infection Flare: Your Step-by-Step Action Plan

Learn the essential steps to protect your kidneys and manage health flares during an IgAN infection.
Read More

When Are You Eligible for a Transplant?

One lab result healthcare providers monitor closely when you have IgAN is your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), a measure of how well your kidneys are filtering waste from your blood. An eGFR score of 60 to 100 can be considered healthy kidney function, while a low eGFR around 10 would signify significant kidney impairment.

 When eGFR reaches the low to mid-20s, it’s time to start the transplant process, says Abdolreza Haririan, MD, a transplant nephrologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.
The process typically starts with a referral to a transplant center for an evaluation.

 During this evaluation, the transplant team looks at several factors, including your health, whether surgery can be performed safely, and whether you have the support system and ability to manage the lifelong medications and follow-up care required after transplantation, says Dr. Ryan.
It’s best to complete the evaluation before kidney failure progresses to the point that dialysis is needed, Ryan says, because people who receive a transplant before starting dialysis tend to have the best long-term outcomes.

Starting the process early also gives you more time to understand your options and identify potential living donors.

 If someone is interested in donating a kidney, they must complete their own medical evaluation, which can take several months.

A living donor transplant may offer certain advantages in recovery and outcomes, but it isn’t required.

 Many people receive kidneys from deceased donors, and completing the transplant evaluation early can help ensure you’re ready to move forward when a kidney becomes available.

Benefits: What a New Kidney Means for IgAN Patients

A successful kidney transplant means having a healthy kidney that’s working well.

 For people who have already started dialysis, that means they will no longer need dialysis treatments.

 “Even though dialysis prolongs life, it doesn’t come close to replacing the function of a working kidney,” says Ryan. A successful kidney transplant can also help people live longer than if they remained on dialysis, Dr. Haririan says.
Kidneys perform many essential jobs in the body, so having a working kidney again can lead to a wide range of health and quality-of-life benefits.

Lower Risk of IgAN Complications

A functioning transplanted kidney can lower the risk of serious health problems linked to kidney failure, such as heart disease, stroke, and calcification (or hardening) of the blood vessels, says Nicole M. Ali, MD, a transplant nephrologist and the medical director of the Kidney Transplant Program at NYU Langone in New York.

A healthy kidney also does a better job of regulating fluid.

 “This reduces the risk of breathing troubles and swelling in the legs and other tissues, in addition to stress on the heart,” says Haririan.
Electrolytes, such as potassium, calcium, and phosphorus, are also better managed, which is important for the cells in your body to function normally, especially those in the heart and nervous system, Haririan says. When damaged kidneys have a hard time removing potassium from the blood, for example, this can lead to dangerous heart rhythms.

More Energy

Fatigue is a common symptom for people with IgAN, especially as kidney function declines.

 This occurs in part because poorly functioning kidneys allow waste products and toxins to build up in the blood, Ryan says. Dialysis can remove some of these substances, but the treatment itself is physically taxing, and many people still struggle with low energy.

That often changes after a kidney transplant, says Ryan, who notes that people often feel much better once they have a functioning kidney again.

Healthy kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin that tells the body to make red blood cells. With kidney disease, such as IgAN, less of this hormone is produced, and anemia (low red blood cells) develop, contributing to fatigue.

 After a successful transplant, the new kidney can begin producing this hormone again, the body can make enough red blood cells, and many people notice their energy level improves, says Ryan.

Fewer Dietary and Fluid Restrictions

When you’re on dialysis or managing advanced kidney disease, it’s important to closely monitor what you eat and drink.

 You may need to limit your intake of fluids and certain nutrients, including sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, to help prevent toxins from building up in your blood.

Because a healthy kidney is better able to regulate fluid levels and these nutrients, you may be able to enjoy foods that needed to be limited before the transplant, says Haririan. In fact, you’re encouraged to drink plenty of fluids after your surgery because dehydration can be harmful to a transplanted kidney.

 Follow your transplant team’s recommendations on exactly how much fluid you should drink.
While many people enjoy the peace of mind of fewer dietary and fluid restrictions, a kidney transplant doesn’t eliminate the need for healthy eating habits. Maintaining a healthy weight is vital for overall health, so a balanced diet prioritizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and reduced-fat dairy, while limiting added sugar and unhealthy saturated fats is recommended. Your care team may also suggest limits to sodium.

 By following these recommendations you can protect your new kidney and keep it working well for as long as possible.

Freedom From Dialysis

Dialysis is a lifesaving treatment, but it requires a significant time commitment: You might spend several hours at a clinic on multiple days a week for hemodialysis and have to adjust your life around overnight peritoneal dialysis and fluid exchanges during the day.

For people who were on dialysis, a kidney transplant means no longer having to plan their activities around treatment schedules.

 Traveling becomes much easier without the need to coordinate dialysis appointments and supplies.

Ryan says many people feel a greater sense of freedom after a successful transplant because they have more time and energy to do the things they enjoy.

Risks and Challenges of a Kidney Transplant

Even with the many benefits of a kidney transplant, this procedure isn’t without risks and challenges.

Surgical Risks

A kidney transplant is generally considered very safe, and serious complications are relatively rare, says Ryan. But like any major procedure, it carries some risks, which include:

  • Bleeding
  • Changes in blood pressure during surgery
  • Problems with wound healing
  • Injury to nearby organs
  • Infection
  • Pulmonary embolism (blood clots that can travel to the lungs)
  • Heart-related complications, such as a heart attack or irregular heartbeat
  • Death, in rare cases
The weeks and months after kidney transplantation involve frequent appointments with your care team so they can monitor for potential complications.

 When problems do occur, they can often be treated successfully. Most people go on to have a functioning transplanted kidney and enjoy the benefits of life after transplant, says Ryan.

Immunosuppressant Drug Side Effects

To keep your new kidney healthy, you’ll need to take anti-rejection medications, called immunosuppressants, for the rest of your life after the transplant, says Rafael Villicana, MD, a nephrologist and the medical director of kidney transplantation at Loma Linda University Health in San Bernardino, California.

These medications prevent your immune system from attacking the new kidney.

 But because they lower your immune system’s activity, your body may have a hard time fighting infections.

In the first several months after a transplant, when immunosuppression is at its highest, your care team will monitor you closely and may prescribe medications like antibiotics to prevent infections, says Ryan. Even after that window, your infection risk remains higher than average, which means it’s important to seek care promptly if you develop symptoms, including a fever, she adds.

Another common concern with long-term immunosuppression is an increased risk of cancer, specifically skin cancers like squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. These types of cancers are typically treatable when caught early.

 “Patients are instructed to have an annual screening visit with a dermatologist to assess for any abnormal skin lesions,” Ryan says.
It’s also important to wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day.

Immunosuppressants can also increase the risk of certain health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol, says Haririan. To help manage potential medication side effects, notify your care team about any new or changing symptoms.

IgAN Recurrence After Transplant

One question many people with IgAN have is whether the disease can come back after a kidney transplant. While rates of recurrence found in scientific research vary, some studies estimate that up to 60 percent of people will experience IgAN recurrence after a kidney transplant.

This happens because the underlying process that caused IgAN in the original kidneys can still occur after transplantation, says Dr. Villicana. Recurrence appears to be more common in certain groups, including younger transplant recipients and those who received a transplant relatively soon after their IgAN diagnosis, with limited or no dialysis in between.

But recurrence does not automatically mean the transplanted kidney will fail. Ryan notes that some recurrences are mild and cause no problems, while others lead to rapid kidney dysfunction and eventual failure. When caught early, IgAN recurrence can be treated, Villicana says.

Some of the immunosuppressive medications used to prevent rejection may also help reduce the risk of recurrence, says Ali, adding that there are now more treatment options for IgAN than in the past.

For these reasons, staying consistent with your medications and keeping up with medical appointments remains an important part of life after transplant. This allows your care team to monitor for recurrence and address any concerns early.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Kidney Transplant. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  2. IgA Nephropathy. Cleveland Clinic. January 22, 2025.
  3. Lionaki S et al. Kidney Transplantation Outcomes in Patients With IgA Nephropathy and Other Glomerular and Non-Glomerular Primary Diseases in the New Era of Immunosuppression. PloS One. August 17, 2021.
  4. Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). Cleveland Clinic. May 28, 2025.
  5. Preparing for Transplant: Evaluation, Finding a Match, Costs and Surgery. American Kidney Fund. April 24, 2026.
  6. Kidney Transplants. American Society of Transplantation.
  7. Living Kidney Donor Evaluation. National Kidney Foundation. April 18, 2025.
  8. Murray J et al. Comparison of Outcomes After Living and Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation: UK National Cohort Study. The British Journal of Surgery. August 19, 2025.
  9. Transplant Waiting List. American Kidney Fund.
  10. Kidney Transplant. Cleveland Clinic. December 18, 2024.
  11. Kidney Transplant. Mayo Clinic. September 5, 2025.
  12. The Functions of the Kidneys: What They Do and What They Don’t. Mayo Clinic. January 30, 2024.
  13. Hyperkalemia (High Potassium). Cleveland Clinic. May 11, 2023.
  14. Bossola M et al. Fatigue in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Review. American Journal of Kidney Diseases: The Official Journal of the National Kidney Foundation. October 2023.
  15. Anemia in Chronic Kidney Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  16. Eating & Nutrition for Hemodialysis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  17. Diet After Kidney Transplant. National Kidney Foundation. October 11, 2024.
  18. Dialysis. Cleveland Clinic. March 28, 2025.
  19. Recovery After Transplant Surgery. American Kidney Fund. December 5, 2025.
  20. Immunosuppressants. Cleveland Clinic. August 1, 2023.
  21. Immunosuppressants (Anti-rejection Medicines). National Kidney Foundation. September 16, 2024.
  22. Kosko F et al. Prevalence of Skin Cancers in Kidney Transplant Recipients - One-Center Experience. Frontiers in Oncology. October 10, 2025.
  23. Protect the Skin You’re In. National Kidney Foundation.
  24. Li Y et al. Risk Factors and Outcomes of IgA Nephropathy Recurrence After Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Immunology. November 28, 2023.
Meet Our Experts
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network
igor-kagan-bio

Igor Kagan, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Igor Kagan, MD, is an an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. He spends the majority of his time seeing patients in various settings, such as outpatient clinics, inpatient rounds,...

See full bio
Maggie-Aime-bio

Maggie Aime, MSN, RN

Author

Maggie Aime is a registered nurse with over 25 years of healthcare experience, who brings medical topics to life through informative and inspiring content. Her extensive nursing ba...

See full bio
See Our Editorial PolicyMeet Our Health Expert Network