Table 1.
Clinical characteristics of the lupus nephritis patients at the time of biopsy and follow-up.
| At time of biopsy | Follow-up | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of patients | 288 | Duration of follow-up (median and interquartile range) (m) | 76.5 (44.0–123.0) |
| Age (median and interquartile range) (years) | 30.5 (23–41) | Death (%)/follow-up time | 11 (3.8)/64.0 (12.0–101.0) |
| Female (%) | 243 (84.4) | End-stage renal disease (%)/follow-up time | 18 (6.3)/35.0 (12.0–142.8) |
| Number of hypertension (BP ≥ 140/90 mm Hg) (%) | 153 (53.1) | ≥30% reduction from baseline of eGFR (%)/follow-up time | 30 (10.4)/92.5 (61.3–130.0) |
| Number with nephrotic syndrome (%) | 176 (61.1) | Composite events (%)/follow-up time | 59 (20.5)/82.0 (26.0–125.0) |
| Number with leukocyturia (noninfection) (%) | 162 (56.3) | ||
| Number with hematuria (%) | 224 (77.8) | ||
| Number with acute kidney injury (%) | 66 (22.9) | ||
| Number with anemia (%) | 154 (53.5) | ||
| Number with leukocytopenia (%) | 85 (29.5) | ||
| Number with thrombocytopenia (%) | 58 (20.1) | ||
| Number with neurological disorder (%) | 13 (4.5) | ||
| SLEDAI (mean ± SD) | 17 ± 6 | ||
| Hemoglobin (mean ± SD) (g/L) | 106.2 ± 23.1 | ||
| Serum creatinine value (median and interquartile range) (umol/L) | 77.0 (61.0–117.0) | ||
| Urine protein amount (median and interquartile range) (g/24 h) | 3.9 (1.7–6.3) | ||
| C3 level (median and interquartile range) (g/L) | 0.42 (0.33–0.59) | ||
| Number with low C3 level (%) | 266 (92.4) | ||
| Number with positive ANA (%) | 278 (96.5) | ||
| Number with positive anti-dsDNA antibodies (%) | 185 (64.2) | ||
| Histologic classes, n (%) | |||
| I | 0 (0) | ||
| II | 8 (2.8) | ||
| III (III/III + V) | 59 (20.5) | ||
| IV (IV/IV + V) | 167 (58.0) | ||
| V | 54 (18.8) | ||
| VI | 0 (0) | ||
| Induction immunosuppressive therapy, n (%) | |||
| No immunosuppressants | 7 (2.4) | ||
| CS alone | 14 (4.9) | ||
| CS + CYC | 197 (68.4) | ||
| CS + MMF | 39 (13.5) | ||
| CS + AZA | 4 (1.4) | ||
| CS + LMF | 14 (4.9) | ||
| CS + CsA | 13 (4.5) | ||
Note: m: months; BP: blood pressure; SLEDAI: systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index; ANA: antinuclear antibodies; dsDNA: double-stranded DNA; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; CS: corticosteroids; CYC: cyclophosphamide; MMF: mycophenolate mofetil; AZA: azathioprine; LMF: leflunomide; CsA: cyclosporin.