Table 1.
Clinical and laboratory characteristics of the study population.
| Patient | Age, sex, ethnicity | Disease duration (years) | Antibodies, complement levels | Renal biopsy (time before BEL initiation) | LN class | Previous therapies | Proteinuria (mg/g creatinine) (Baseline, after 6 months [% reduction]) | Current therapy | GC (mg/d) (Baseline, after 6 months [% reduction]) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 49, f, Asian |
15 | ANA+, dsDNA+, SSA+, SSB+, Histone +, C3↓, C4↓ | 1 month | IV–G | GC, CYC, HCQ, MMF | 4,074, 1202 (−70.5%) | GC, MMF | 50, 2.5 (−95%) |
| 2 | 52, f, Caucasian |
19 | ANA+, dsDNA+ | 12.5 years | V–IV | GC, HCQ, TAC | 117, 76 (−35.04%) | GC, HCQ, TAC | 5, 5 (0%) |
| 3 | 30, f, Caucasian |
4 | ANA+, dsDNA+, SSA+, SSB+, Histone +, C3↓, C4↓ | 4 months | IV–G (A) | GC, HCQ, MMF | 346, 162 (−53.18%) | GC, HCQ, MMF | 60, 4 (−93.3%) |
| 4 | 27, f, Caucasian |
8 | ANA+, dsDNA+, C3↓ | 13 months | III (A, C) | GC, HCQ, MMF | 489, 115 (−76.48%) | GC, HCQ, MMF | 6.5, 5 (−15.3%) |
| 5 | 35, f, Caucasian |
4 | ANA+, dsDNA+, Histone +, C3↓, C4↓ | 4 months | III A | GC, MMF | 159, 74 (−53.46%) | GC, AZA, HCQ | 15, 5 (−66.3%) |
| 6 | 40, f, Caucasian |
17 | ANA+, dsDNA+, APLA+ | 2 months | IV | GC, CYC, AZA, MMF | 4,420, 121 (−97.26%) | GC, MMF | 15, 5(−66.6%) |
| 7 | 75, m, Caucasian |
19 | ANA+, dsDNA+, U1snRNP+, Histone+, C3↓, C4↓ | 17 years | None | GC, CYC, AZA, MTX, RTX | 1,783, 655 (−63.26%) | GC, AZA | 20, 2.5 (−87.5%) |
ANA, antinuclear antibody; APLA, anti-phospholipid antibodies; AZA, azathioprine; C3/4, complement factor 3/4; CYC, cyclophosphamide; dsDNA; double-stranded DNA; f, female; GC, glucocorticoids; HCQ, hydroxychloroquine; LN, lupus nephritis; m, male; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; MTX, methotrexate; RTX, rituximab; TAC, tacrolimus.