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Lupus Nephritis
Lupus glomerular disease; Lupus glomerulonephritis; SLE nephritis; Lupus and kidney disease
Lupus nephritis is a kidney disease that is a complication of systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), commonly known as lupus. Kidney disease caused by lupus may get worse over time and lead to kidney failure. Learn about diagnosis, complications, and treatment.
Kidney with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis
Image by Ed Uthman, MD
Lupus Nephritis
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Lupus nephritis is a type of kidney disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus). Lupus is an autoimmune disease—a disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the body’s own cells and organs. Kidney disease caused by lupus may get worse over time and lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain your health.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Kidney with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis
Image by Ed Uthman, MD
Lupus is a disease that occurs when the body's immune system attacks healthy tissues and can affect many parts of the body, including your kidneys. When lupus affects the kidneys, it's called lupus nephritis.
Lupus nephritis is an inflammation of the kidneys and can affect up to 60% of people with lupus. When the kidneys are inflamed, they can't work properly. Symptoms include high blood pressure, foamy urine, and swelling of the legs, feet, or ankles.
Left untreated, lupus nephritis can lead to kidney failure. The good news is that treatment is available.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Glomeruli Filtration of Blood in Kidneys
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The kidneys’ main job is to filter extra water and wastes out of your blood to make urine. To keep your body working properly, the kidneys balance the salts and minerals—such as calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and potassium—that circulate in the blood. Your kidneys also make hormones that help control blood pressure, make red blood cells, and keep your bones strong.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Illustration of rare disease incidence
Image by mcmurryjulie/Pixabay
Kidney damage is one of the more common health problems caused by lupus. In adults who have lupus, as many as 5 out of 10 will have kidney disease. In children who have lupus, 8 of 10 will have kidney disease.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
African Americans men are at higher risk for Lupus nephritis
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African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Asian Americans are more likely to develop lupus nephritis than Caucasians. Lupus nephritis is more common in men than in women.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Young woman with the typical "butterfly rash" found in lupus
Image by Doktorinternet
The symptoms of lupus nephritis may include foamy urine and edema—swelling that occurs when your body has too much fluid, usually in the legs, feet, or ankles, and less often in the hands or face. You may also develop high blood pressure.
Kidney problems often start at the same time or shortly after lupus symptoms appear and can include
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Urine in Vial
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Lupus nephritis is diagnosed through urine and blood tests and a kidney biopsy.
Your health care professional uses a urine sample to look for blood and protein in your urine. You collect the urine sample in a container in a health care professional’s office or lab. For the test, a nurse or technician places a strip of chemically treated paper, called a dipstick, into the urine. Patches on the dipstick change color when blood or protein is present. A high level of protein or a high number of red blood cells in the urine means kidney damage. The urine will also be examined under a microscope to look for kidney cells.
Your health care professional uses a blood test to check your kidney function. The blood test measures creatinine, a waste product from the normal breakdown of muscles in your body. Your kidneys remove creatinine from your blood. Health care professionals use the amount of creatinine in your blood to estimate your glomerular filtration rate (GFR). As kidney disease gets worse, the level of creatinine goes up.
A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of kidney tissue for examination under a microscope. A doctor performs the biopsy in a hospital using imaging techniques such as ultrasound or a computed tomography (CT) scan to guide the biopsy needle into the kidney. Health care professionals numb the area to limit pain and use light sedation to help you relax during the procedure.
The kidney tissue is examined in a lab by a pathologist—a doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseases.
A kidney biopsy can
The American College of Rheumatology recommends biopsies for people with signs of active lupus nephritis who have not yet been treated. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may help protect your kidneys.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Complement C3 Test
Also called: Complement component 3
Complement C3 is the most abundant protein of the complement system, which comprises more than 20 proteins that aid the innate immune system in protecting the body from foreign substances and organisms, such as bacteria and viruses. This test measures the amount of complement C3 in a sample of your blood.
Kidney Function Panel
Also called: Kidney Panel, Renal Function Panel, Renal Panel
Your kidneys filter and clean your blood. Kidney tests include blood, urine, and imaging tests that doctors use to diagnose and monitor kidney diseases.
Blood Glucose Test
Also called: Blood Sugar Level, Glucose Test, Random Plasma Glucose, Random Glucose, Random Blood Glucose (RPG)
A blood glucose test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. It may be used to help diagnose or monitor diabetes. The test can involve a finger prick or a blood draw from your vein.
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Phosphate Blood Test
Also called: Phosphate Blood Levels, Phosphorus, PO4
A phosphate in blood test measures the level of phosphate in your blood. Phosphate blood levels that are too high or too low can be a sign of kidney disease or other serious health problems.
Calcium Blood Test
Also called: Calcium, Hypocalcemia Test, Hypercalcemia Test
A calcium test measures the level of calcium in your blood. Abnormal calcium levels may be a sign of kidney problems, bone disease, thyroid disease, cancer, malnutrition, or another disorder.
Potassium Blood Test
Also called: Potassium, Hypokalemia Test, Hyperkalemia Test
A potassium blood test measures the potassium levels in your blood. It is often included in a series of routine blood tests called an electrolyte panel. Too much or too little potassium may indicate a serious medical problem.
Sodium Blood Test
Also called: Sodium, Hyponatremia Test, Hypernatremia Test
A sodium blood test measures the amount of sodium in your blood. If your sodium blood levels are too high or too low, it may mean that you have a problem with your kidneys, dehydration, or another medical condition.
Chloride Blood Test
Also called: Chloride, Hypochloremia Test, Hyperchloremia Test
A chloride test measures the chloride in your blood. Chloride is a mineral that helps maintain the acid-base balance in your body. The test is usually part of a routine blood screening or to help determine if there is a problem with your body's electrolyte or acid-base (pH) balance.
Carbon Dioxide Blood Test
Also called: Carbon Dioxide, CO2, Bicarbonate, Metabolic Alkalosis Test, Metabolic Acidosis Test
A carbon dioxide (CO2) blood test measures the amount of carbon dioxide is in the blood in your veins. Too much or too little CO2 in the blood can indicate a health problem. The test is most often done as part of an electrolyte or metabolic panel.
Albumin Blood Test
Also called: Albumin, ALB, Hypoalbuminemia Test, Hyperalbuminemia Test
Albumin is a protein made by the liver that makes up about 60% of the total protein in the blood. An albumin blood test can help diagnose, evaluate, and monitor kidney and liver conditions.
Creatinine Test
Also called: Creat, Creatinine
This test measures creatinine levels in your blood or urine. Creatinine is a waste product that is made each time you move your muscles. People who have larger muscles tend to make more creatinine than people who have smaller muscles. Abnormal levels can be a sign of kidney disease.
Blood Urea Nitrogen Test
Also called: BUN, Urea Nitrogen
The test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your blood. Urea nitrogen is one of the waste products removed from your blood by your kidneys. Higher than normal BUN levels may be a sign that your kidneys aren't working efficiently.
Glomerular Filtration Rate
Also called: GFR, Estimated GFR, eGFR, Calculated GFR, cGFR
A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a test that estimates how much blood passes through filters in the kidneys each minute. It helps diagnose kidney disease in its early stages when it's most treatable. It is also used to monitor kidney function in people with kidney disease — the lower the GFR number, the worse the kidney function.
Anion Gap Blood Test
Also called: Anion Gap, AGAP
The anion gap measures the difference—or gap—between the negatively charged and positively charged electrolytes in your blood. If the anion gap is either too high or too low, it may be a sign of a disorder in your lungs, kidneys, or other organ systems.
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Creatinine Clearance Test
Also called: Creatinine renal clearance, CRCL, CCT
Creatinine clearance is a calculation of the amount of blood filtered per minute by the kidneys. This test compares the creatinine level in urine with the creatinine level in blood, and it’s used to assess the kidney’s health and aid in the diagnosis of certain kidney problems.
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Urine Volume Test
Also called: Urine 24-hour volume, 24-hour urine collection
The urine 24-hour volume test measures the amount of urine produced in a day. The urine volume may be measured during a comprehensive urine test to check kidney function.
Kidney Biopsy
Also called: Renal Biopsy, Biopsy - Kidney
A kidney biopsy is a procedure that involves taking a small piece of kidney tissue for examination with a microscope. The tissue is examined for signs of kidney disease or infection. It can also be used to check for cancer or other abnormalities.
Prednisone 20 MG Oral Tablet
Image by NLM
Health care professionals treat lupus nephritis with medicines that suppress your immune system so it stops attacking and damaging your kidneys. Goals of treatment are to
Your health care professional may prescribe a corticosteroid, usually prednisone, and a medicine to suppress your immune system, such as cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil, and hydroxychloroquine, a medicine for people who have SLE.
Lupus nephritis can cause high blood pressure in some people. You may need more than one kind of medicine to control your blood pressure. Blood pressure medicines include:
ACE inhibitors and ARBs may help protect your kidneys, and diuretics help your kidneys remove fluid from your body.
Read more about medicines and treatment for high blood pressure.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Low sodium Foods
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If you have kidney disease, you may need to change what you eat. Dietitians are nutrition experts who can advise you about healthy eating and meal planning. Find a registered dietitian who can help you. Eating the right foods can help you manage your kidney disease. If you have high blood pressure, eating foods with less sodium (a part of salt) may help you lower your blood pressure.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Kidney Failure
Image by TheVisualMD
Treatment works well to control lupus nephritis, so you may not have complications.
Between 10 to 30 percent of people who have lupus nephritis develop kidney failure. Learn more about what happens if your kidneys fail.
The most severe form of lupus nephritis, called diffuse proliferative nephritis, can cause scars to form in the kidneys. Scars are permanent, and kidney function often declines as more scars form. Early diagnosis and treatment may help prevent long-lasting damage.
People who have lupus nephritis are at a high risk for cancer, primarily B-cell lymphoma—a type of cancer that begins in the cells of the immune system. They are also at a high risk for heart and blood vessel problems.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
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