Lupus Nephritis

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What is Lupus Nephritis?

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Lupus nephritis is a disease affecting the kidneys. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disorder which causes significant renal disease, primarily affecting the glomerulus.

Who gets Lupus Nephritis?

SLE is rare, affecting 3-4 per 100,000 patients in the UK. The condition is nine times more common in females than males, and nine times more common in Asian and Afro-Caribbeans than Caucasian populations.

Renal disease is estimated to occur in 20-50% of patients with SLE.

Predisposing Factors

The only known predisposing factor is the presence of SLE, which has the sole predisposing factor of family history.

Progression

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Lupus

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The natural history of this condition is not yet fully understood. Early in the disease process, the condition is usually silent with only one-half experiencing clinical symptoms. It is generally held that mild forms of lupus nephritis will progress to more severe and symptomatic forms in about 5% of patients. With progression of the nephritis, the tubules of the kidney may also become involved and renal failure may ensue. In a minority of cases, tubular involvement tends to be the predominant feature.

Only 20% of patients will have lupus nephritis at the time of diagnosis. Over the next 10 years, the rate of renal involvement steadily increases. After ten years, the onset of new renal disease from lupus nephritis is greatly reduced.

In rare cases, lupus nephritis may be the only consequence of SLE.

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