Diagnostic Tools for Sensitive Estimation of Renal Function & Early Detection of Lupus Nephritis

Systemic Lupus Erythematous (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body cells and tissues, resulting in a state of chronic inflammation and tissue damage. SLE is characterized by unpredictable course, with periods of flares alternating with remissions. It can affect any part or body tissues, including heart, joints, skin, lungs, liver, nervous system, blood vessels, but still the kidney affection is one of the most commonly involved visceral organs in SLE. Although only approximately 50% of patients with SLE develop clinically evident renal disease, biopsy studies demonstrate some degree of renal involvement in most patients. Acute or chronic renal impairment may develop with lupus nephritis leading to acute or end stage renal disease. Early recognition and management of these cases can reduce the percentage of development of end stage renal disease among these patients to less than 5% of cases. Nephron is the functioning unit of the kidney, whose function is always effected as an early response to inflammation; this function can be evaluated through the estimation of the glomerular filtration rate (secretory function) as well as its excretory function. So searching for a more sensitive and specific indicator for early detection of disease flare or activity depends on the estimation of the nephron function.