Short-Term Outcome of Proliferative Lupus Nephritis a Single Center Study

Background Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, multisystem and auto immune disorder. It is an unpredictable disease, which is also episodic in nature. The serious complication of SLE is Lupus Nephritis (LN) that is an inflammation of kidney. A study was conducted from a single center in Bhagdad to determine the epidemiological profile, clinical features, and short term outcomes in patients that suffer with lupus nephritis. Patients and Methods For this study, a total of 43 patients belonging to III/IV lupus nephritis were selected. They attended the clinic of medical city for outpatient from January 2012 to October 2013, and follow-up was done with them for more than six months. Among the 43 patients, 34 patients received cyclophosphamide for induction and mycophenolate was given to nine of them. Estimation of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria at 6 months was done in these patients. They were also evaluated for response. Results The study results showed that 44% of patients responded partially or completely at 6 months and 64% of the patients responded at 1 year. Factors that correlate with the response at 6 months are hypertension, older age at diagnosis, activity, chronicity indices and the time frame of symptoms before the therapy. At 6 months, the predictors of response by logistic regression are chronicity index and hypertension. In current study, the patients with proliferative lupus presented with a lower proteinuria, lower eGFR, and higher chronicity scores, when compared to the Caucasian and African American patients. Hypertension, older age at diagnosis, chronicity indices, activity and the time frame of symptoms correlated with response. Short term outcomes were found to be similar to those explained in Caucasian patients.