Statement of Principles

concerning

MESANGIAL IGA GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Instrument No. 63 of 2001 as amended

made under section 196B(2) of the

This compilation was prepared on 23 November 2005
taking into account Amendment of Statement of Principles concerning MESANGIAL IGA GLOMERULONEPHRITIS (Instrument No. 75 of 2002)

Prepared by the Repatriation Medical Authority Secretariat, Brisbane

Determination

of

Statement of Principles

concerning

MESANGIAL IGA GLOMERULONEPHRITIS

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

1.         This Statement of Principles is determined by the Repatriation Medical Authority under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 (the Act).

Kind of injury, disease or death

2.         (a)       This Statement of Principles is about mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis and death from mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis.

(b)    For the purposes of this Statement of Principles, “mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis” means a disease of the kidneys characterised by a predominance of immunohistologically proven IgA deposits in the renal mesangium and recurring and intermittent episodes of haematuria or proteinuria. This definition includes primary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis and secondary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis.

Basis for determining the factors

3.         The Repatriation Medical Authority is of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis and death from mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis can be related to relevant service rendered by veterans, members of Peacekeeping Forces, or members of the Forces.

Factors that must be related to service

4.         Subject to clause 6, at least one of the factors set out in clause 5 must be related to any relevant service rendered by the person.

Factors

5.         The factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis or death from mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis with the circumstances of a person’s relevant service are:

(a)               for secondary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis only, suffering from cirrhosis of the liver at the time of the clinical onset of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis; or

(b)               for secondary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis only, suffering from Schonlein-Henoch purpura at the time of the clinical onset of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis; or

(c)               for primary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis only, inhaling or having dermal exposure to:

(i)                oxygenated organic solvents,

(ii)             aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, or

(iii)           aromatic hydrocarbon solvents,

for an average of at least two hours per week over a period of at least twelve months before the clinical onset of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis; or

(d)               for primary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis only, inhaling or having dermal exposure to:

(i)                oxygenated organic solvents,

(ii)             aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, or

(iii)           aromatic hydrocarbon solvents,

for an average of at least two hours per week over a period of at least twelve months before the clinical worsening of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis; or

(e)               inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis.

Factors that apply only to material contribution or aggravation

6.         Paragraphs 5(d) to 5(e) apply only to material contribution to, or aggravation of mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis where the person’s mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis was suffered or contracted before or during (but not arising out of) the person’s relevant service; paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d) or 70(5A)(d) of the Act refers.

Inclusion of Statements of Principles

7.         In this Statement of Principles if a relevant factor applies and that factor includes an injury or disease in respect of which there is a Statement of Principles then the factors in that last mentioned Statement of Principles apply in accordance with the terms of that Statement of Principles.

Other definitions

8.      For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“cirrhosis of the liver” means a pathologically defined entity involving irreversible chronic injury of the hepatic parenchyma and includes extensive fibrosis in association with regenerative nodules;

“death from mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis” in relation to a person includes death from a terminal event or condition that was contributed to by the person’s mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis;

“ICD-10-AM code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM), Second Edition, effective date of 1 July 2000, copyrighted by the National Centre for Classification in Health, Sydney, NSW, and having ISBN 1 86487 271 3;

“primary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis” means predominant IgA mesangial deposits in the absence of clinical or laboratory evidence of any other associated systemic disease, and is also known as Berger's disease or idiopathic IgA nephropathy;

“relevant service” means:

(a)       operational service; or

(b)       peacekeeping service; or

(c)       hazardous service;

“Schonlein-Henoch purpura” means a systemic vasculitis affecting small calibre vessels, causing a characteristic clinical syndrome of vascular purpura in the lower limbs, abdominal pain, joint pain and nephritis;

“secondary mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis” means predominant IgA mesangial deposits in the presence of clinical or laboratory evidence of any other associated systemic disease;

“terminal event” means the proximate or ultimate cause of death and includes:

(a)  pneumonia;

(b)  respiratory failure;

(c)  cardiac arrest;

(d)  circulatory failure; or

(e)  cessation of brain function.

Notes to Statement of Principles concerning mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis (Instrument No. 63 of 2001)

The Statement of Principles concerning mesangial IgA glomerulonephritis (Instrument No. 63 of 2001) in force under section 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments