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\nLupus nephritis is a type of kidney disease caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus). Lupus is an autoimmune disease\u2014a disorder in which the body\u2019s immune system attacks the body\u2019s 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.
\n \n \nLupus is much more common in women than in men and most often strikes during the child-bearing years. Nine out of 10 people who have lupus are women. Lupus is also more common in people of African or Asian background. African Americans and Asian Americans are about 2 to 3 times more likely to develop lupus than Caucasians.1 In the United States, 1 out of every 250 African American women will develop lupus.2
\nKidney 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.3
\nAfrican Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and Asian Americans are more likely to develop lupus nephritis than Caucasians.4 Lupus nephritis is more common in men than in women.5
\nThe symptoms of lupus nephritis may include foamy urine and edema\u2014swelling 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.
\nKidney problems often start at the same time or shortly after lupus symptoms appear and can include
\nLupus nephritis is diagnosed through urine and blood tests and a kidney biopsy.
\nYour 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\u2019s 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.
\nYour 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.
\nRead more about blood and urine tests for kidney disease.
\nA 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.
\nThe kidney tissue is examined in a lab by a pathologist\u2014a doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseases.
\nA kidney biopsy can
\nThe American College of Rheumatology recommends biopsies for people with signs of active lupus nephritis who have not yet been treated.3 Early diagnosis and prompt treatment may help protect your kidneys.
\nHealth 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
\nYour 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.
\nLupus 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:
\nACE inhibitors and ARBs may help protect your kidneys, and diuretics help your kidneys remove fluid from your body.
\nRead more about medicines and treatment for high blood pressure.
\n \nIf 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.
\nRead more about eating right for chronic kidney disease.
\n \nTreatment works well to control lupus nephritis, so you may not have complications.
\nBetween 10 to 30 percent of people who have lupus nephritis develop kidney failure.6 Learn more about what happens if your kidneys fail.
\nThe 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.
\nPeople who have lupus nephritis are at a high risk for cancer, primarily B-cell lymphoma\u2014a 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.
\nThe National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.
\nClinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.
\nClinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
\nThis content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.
The NIDDK would like to thank:
The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases