[Proliferative mesangial lupus nephritis: description of a cohort of 27 patients]

Abstract

Background and objective: To describe our cohort of 27 biopsy-proven patients and their long-term follow-up, with special attention to prognostic factors.

Patients and methods: Twenty seven patients were retrospectively collected. They were controlled in the Internal Medicine Department of the Bellvitge's Hospital (Spain) between 1974 and 2010. Evaluation was performed at one, 3 and 5 year follow-up.

Results: There were 22 women (81.5%). Mean age at onset of nephritis was 34.83 years (SD 13.45). Partial or complete remission was achieved by 21 patients (80.77%) in the one-year follow-up, 22 patients (84.61%) in the third-year follow-up and 21 patients (77.77%) in the fifth-year follow-up. A change in the histology class was diagnosed in 4 patients. Seven patients suffered flares of nephritis. Seven patients died in the long term follow-up, 3 out of this 7 died because of systemic erythematosus lupus.

Conclusion: Nephritis onset beyond 45 years old is the factor mostly related with a poor prognosis. That is the reason why we recommend co-therapy with immunosuppressors from the beginning in such patients.