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Lupus nephritis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Nephritis - lupus; Lupus glomerular disease

Treatment:

The goal of treatment is improvement of kidney function.

Corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive medications are often effective in reducing symptoms. Whether high doses of corticosteroids or immunosuppressives are likely to be beneficial depends on the precise findings on kidney biopsy .

Dialysis may be necessary to control symptoms of acute or chronic renal failure . Renal failure may be severe enough to require dialysis even if no other symptoms of SLE are present.

A kidney transplant may be recommended to treat kidney failure resulting from lupus nephritis.

Expectations (prognosis):

The outcome varies. It is usually worse with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis (one specific form of the disorder). As with SLE , the course is variable, with exacerbations ( acute episodes) and remissions (symptom-free periods).

Some cases of lupus nephritis may progress to chronic renal failure .

Over 80% of people with lupus nephritis severe enough to require dialysis or transplantation will survive for more than 5 years after treatment. Although lupus nephritis may recur in a transplanted kidney, it rarely leads to end stage renal disease. People with active lupus should not undergo transplantation.

Complications:

• Acute renal failure
• Chronic renal failure
• End-stage renal disease
• Nephrotic syndrome

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if blood in the urine or swelling of the body develops.

If you have lupus nephritis, call your health care provider if there is decreased urine output .

References:

Harris ED. Budd RC, Genovese MC, Firestein GS, Sargent JS, Sledge CB. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology . 7th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2005.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine . 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001.

• Review Date: 9/13/2005
• Reviewed By: Robert Mushnick, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, SUNY Downstate Health Center, Brooklyn, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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