PREDICTORS OF RENAL OUTCOME IN DIFFUSE PROLIFERATIVE GLOMERULONEPHRITIS IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

The occurrence of nephritis is considered to be the most important fac tor influencing the prognosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). D espite the apparent histological similarity of the lesions, however, p atients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) may exhib it different outcomes. A retrospective study was carried out on 81 SLE patients with DPGN to evaluate the prognostic significance of differe nt clinical, serological and histological variables; in particular, 95 renal biopsies were re-evaluated and the activity and chronicity indi ces for the patients were determined. A positive correlation was obser ved between the presence of chronic lesions on renal biopsy and a poor renal outcome (<0.001). Moreover, in the repeat biopsies the patients with a poor outcome showed a higher degree of chronic lesions. Active lesions and other clinical and serological parameters did not correla te with the outcome.