Long-Term Outcome of Patients with Lupus Nephritis: A Single Center Experience (original) (raw)

2010, Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences

Lupus nephritis (LN) is an immune infl ammation of kidneys caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a chronic infl ammatory disease that aff ects the body' s immune system. Aim of this study was to analyze clinical manifestation and treatment results of patients with LN. Forty one patients with clinical signs of LN were included in the study. Mean age of patients was ,±, years in the moment of fi rst diagnosis of LN, with female-male ratio :. Renal disease was pathohistologically (PTH) verifi ed in , of patients ( pts with class III,  pts with class IV, one pt with class V of lupus nephrites). Patients with high nephrotic proteinuria were treated with pulse dose of methylprednisolone and pulse doses of cyclophosphamide (CYC) in induction therapy. Corticosteroid and CYC were continued according to treatment protocol. e other group of LN patients with lower nephrotic proteinuria was treated with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in induction therapy at a dose of x g/day for six months, and than in maintenance x, g/day. e patients with non-nephrotic proteinuria and normal renal function were treated with oral prednisolone ,- mg/kg/day in a single morning dose, and then gradually reduced to the dose of maintenance. e mean time of patient' s follow-up was ,±, years. Partial renal remission was accomplished in , pts, and complete remission in , pts for period of ,±, months from the beginning of the treatment. Duration of complete renal remission was ,±, months. During the period of follow-up, , pts developed at least one nephritic fl are and were treated again. ese results confi rmed that the aggressive form of lupus nephritis should be treated associating cyclophosphamide with corticosteroids therapeutical regiment. MMF is a new promising immunosuppressive drug for a treatment of this serious disease.