Renal manifestations

Kidney is the most frequently affected visceral organ in SLE

• seen in up to 50% of patients with SLE (but biopsy studies have revealed some degree of renal involvement in almost all patients) (1)
• the risk of severe nephritis is higher in children than in elderly patients (2)
• glomerular disease is usually asymptomatic and occurs within the first few years of the disease (1)
• proteinuria and haematuria are common and range from mild to severe.

Other renal manifestations may include:

• glomerulonephritis
• red cell casts
• renal failure, severe nephrotic syndrome and hypertension occur in about 20% of patients. Hypertension is a poor prognostic sign requiring aggressive treatment.

May be divided into glomerular, tubular or vascular.

Reference:

• (1) Cojocaru M et al.Manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus. Maedica (Buchar). 2011;6(4):330-6.
• (2) Saxena R, Mahajan T, Mohan C.Lupus nephritis: current update. Arthritis Res Ther. 2011;13(5):240.