Biomaterial Database

Natural history and treatment of lupus nephritis. 1999

H A Austin, and J E Balow

Kidney Disease Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-1268, USA.

Renal involvement occurs in the majority of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Contemporary therapeutic regimens for immunosuppression and for the treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, infections, and seizures have likely contributed to improvements in the prognosis of these patients over the last four decades. Corticosteroids usually ameliorate the manifestations of lupus nephritis but achieve less complete and sustained remissions than do cytotoxic drugs. Among the cytotoxic drugs, pulse cyclophosphamide has one of the best profiles of efficacy and toxicity. Because each episode of exacerbation of lupus nephritis results in cumulative scarring, atrophy and fibrosis, we recommend continued maintenance treatment for 1 year beyond the point of complete remission of proliferative lupus nephritis. Studies are in progress to determine whether innovative treatment strategies will enhance efficacy and minimize toxicity associated with cytotoxic drug therapies. Lupus membranous nephropathy poses a lower risk of renal failure, but persistent nephrotic syndrome confers risks of cardiovascular events; this form of lupus nephritis is usually treated with less intensive regimens of corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, or cyclosporine. The prognosis and overall success of treatment for lupus nephritis seem to vary widely among geographically and racially diverse populations. The causes for the apparently worse prognosis and poorer responses to treatment of lupus nephritis in Black patients are currently unexplained and require further study. Until such data are available, caution is clearly warranted in extrapolating evidence, particularly about prognosis and effects of treatment, among different populations of patients with lupus nephritis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007166	Immunosuppressive Agents	Agents that suppress immune function by one of several mechanisms of action. Classical cytotoxic immunosuppressants act by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Others may act through activation of T-CELLS or by inhibiting the activation of HELPER CELLS. While immunosuppression has been brought about in the past primarily to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, new applications involving mediation of the effects of INTERLEUKINS and other CYTOKINES are emerging.	Immunosuppressant,Immunosuppressive Agent,Immunosuppressants,Agent, Immunosuppressive,Agents, Immunosuppressive
D007676	Kidney Failure, Chronic	The end-stage of CHRONIC RENAL INSUFFICIENCY. It is characterized by the severe irreversible kidney damage (as measured by the level of PROTEINURIA) and the reduction in GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE to less than 15 ml per min (Kidney Foundation: Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative, 2002). These patients generally require HEMODIALYSIS or KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION.	ESRD,End-Stage Renal Disease,Renal Disease, End-Stage,Renal Failure, Chronic,Renal Failure, End-Stage,Chronic Kidney Failure,End-Stage Kidney Disease,Chronic Renal Failure,Disease, End-Stage Kidney,Disease, End-Stage Renal,End Stage Kidney Disease,End Stage Renal Disease,End-Stage Renal Failure,Kidney Disease, End-Stage,Renal Disease, End Stage,Renal Failure, End Stage
D008181	Lupus Nephritis	Glomerulonephritis associated with autoimmune disease SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS. Lupus nephritis is histologically classified into 6 classes: class I - normal glomeruli, class II - pure mesangial alterations, class III - focal segmental glomerulonephritis, class IV - diffuse glomerulonephritis, class V - diffuse membranous glomerulonephritis, and class VI - advanced sclerosing glomerulonephritis (The World Health Organization classification 1982).	Glomerulonephritis, Lupus,Lupus Glomerulonephritis,Nephritis, Lupus,Glomerulonephritides, Lupus,Lupus Glomerulonephritides,Lupus Nephritides,Nephritides, Lupus
D008297	Male		Males
D011379	Prognosis	A prediction of the probable outcome of a disease based on a individual's condition and the usual course of the disease as seen in similar situations.	Prognostic Factor,Prognostic Factors,Factor, Prognostic,Factors, Prognostic,Prognoses
D012008	Recurrence	The return of a sign, symptom, or disease after a remission.	Recrudescence,Relapse,Recrudescences,Recurrences,Relapses
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D015994	Incidence	The number of new cases of a given disease during a given period in a specified population. It also is used for the rate at which new events occur in a defined population. It is differentiated from PREVALENCE, which refers to all cases in the population at a given time.	Attack Rate,Cumulative Incidence,Incidence Proportion,Incidence Rate,Person-time Rate,Secondary Attack Rate,Attack Rate, Secondary,Attack Rates,Cumulative Incidences,Incidence Proportions,Incidence Rates,Incidence, Cumulative,Incidences,Person time Rate,Person-time Rates,Proportion, Incidence,Rate, Attack,Rate, Incidence,Rate, Person-time,Rate, Secondary Attack,Secondary Attack Rates