Table 1.
Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of SLE patients with proliferative nephritis
| Patients (n = 58) | |
|---|---|
| n (% or range) | |
| Sex: F/M | 54/4 (93/7) |
| Mean age (years) | 39 ± 12 (22-75) |
| Mean age at SLE diagnosis (years) | 26 ± 11 (8-66) |
| Mean age at nephritis (years) | 29 ± 12 (8-73) |
| Mean duration of follow-up (months) | 97 (1-273) |
| Cardiovascular risk factors | 35 (58) |
| Positive aPL | 31 (53.4) |
| APS | 8 (14.8) |
| ANA (+) | 58 (100) |
| a-DNA (+) | 49 (84.5) |
| a-Ro (+) | 21 (42.9) |
| a-Sm (+) | 16 (33.3) |
| a-RNP (+) | 11 (22.9) |
| Low complement levels | 52 (91.2) |
| Treatment before first renal biopsy | |
| Antiaggregation | 20/65 (31) |
| Oral anticoagulation | 2/65 (3.1) |
| Glucocorticoids | 50/65 (77) |
| ≤7.5 mg/d prednisone | 42% |
| < 7.5 to 30 mg/d prednisone | 43% |
| > 30 to 60 mg/d prednisone | 10% |
| > 1 mg/kg/d prednisone | 5% |
| Azathioprine | 13/65 (20) |
| Antimalarials | 20/65 (31) |
| ISN/RPS nephritis classification: | |
| Type II | 2/65 (3) |
| Type III-A | 13/65 (20) |
| Type III-A/C | 4/65 (6.1) |
| Type III-A + V | 2/65 (3) |
| Type IV-SA | 10/65 (15.4) |
| Type IV-SA/C | 4/65 (6.1) |
| Type IV-GA | 23/65 (35.4) |
| Type IV-GA/C | 5/65 (7.7) |
| Type IV-GA/C + V | 2/65 (3) |
| 24 hours proteinuria (mg)a | 3,355.1 ± 3,372.3 (230-19,700) |
| Hematuria (+)a | 56 (86.2) |
| Leukocyturia (+)a | 52 (80) |
| Cellular casts (+)a | 42 (64.6) |
| Mean serum creatinine (mg/dl)a | 1.1 ± 0.5 (0.4-3.4) |
| Mean creatinine clearance (ml/min)a | 91.8 ± 44.4 (25-289) |
| Renal failurea | 17 (26.2) |
| HBPa | 35 (53.8) |
| SLEDAIa | 20.4 (4-36) |
| Response to treatment | 50 (83.3) |
| Mean time of response (months) | 15 ± 19 (1-101) |
Cardiovascular risk factors include high blood pressure (HBP), diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertriglyceridemia, smoking, and hormonal contraception. aValues at renal biopsy.