Loin Pain in Patients With IgAN

Although loin pain is common among patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), little is reported about its impact on quality of life or management strategies. To learn more, Kristina L. Newman, PhD, and colleagues developed an online pilot study, which was discussed in a poster presentation titled Exploring the Impact of Loin Pain in IgA Nephropathy: A United Kingdom-Wide Mixed-Methods Qualitative Study and Pilot Survey at ASN Kidney Week 2024.

The pilot was developed with the participation of IgAN patients and input from the National Registry of Rare Kidney Diseases. The survey reported on demographic, kidney disease, and loin pain factors, plus The Kidney Symptom Score, Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire-2, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire.

Loin pain in IgAN patients was also examined via thematic analysis of a separate semi-structured study involving 48 interviews with 13 health care professionals, 21 patients, and 14 caregivers. Themes developed during thematic coding included achy pain in the kidney area, managing loin pain with limited options, loin pain as a warning/anxiety of declining kidney function, impact to daily life dependent on severity, and differing opinions between patients and health care professionals.

There were 366 patients in the analysis, of whom, 71.1% (n=261) had experienced loin pain. Twenty-eight percent reported current loin pain, 33% had it within the last month, 39.1% had pain in the past, and 70.7% had loin pain at least monthly.

Most participants with loin pain (80.5%) reported that it was always the same, and “aching” was the term used most often to describe the pain. Loin pain was strongly associated with systemic symptoms including itching, loss of libido, and anorexia. It was also associated with poor self-perception of mental and physical health. Loin pain also limited the mobility of 43.9% of patients. Although 44.7% talked to a health care professional about loin pain, 61.7% did not find it helpful. Only 41.6% could manage their loin pain with analgesics.

Loin pain affected most study participants and negatively impacted their quality of life and self-perception of health. However, management options are limited, and health care professionals lack knowledge of optimal strategies. These themes will be examined in other kidney diseases.

Source: Newman KL, Barratt J, Szklarzewicz J, et al. Exploring the impact of loin pain in IgA nephropathy: a United Kingdom-wide mixed-methods qualitative study and pilot survey. FR-PO870. Abstract of a poster presented at the American Society of Nephrology Kidney Week 2024; October 25, 2024; San Diego, California.