Early detection of subclinical nephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus patients

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder affecting many systems in the body. Because of the disease s tremendous variety, some researchers believe that it is a syndrome rather than a single disease. One of the most prevalent manifestations of SLE is lupus nephritis (LN). Nearly 40% to 70% of patients with SLE have LN. The manifestations of LN range from asymptomatic urinary findings to nephrotic syndrome and progressive renal impairment. The International Society of Nephrology and the Renal Pathology Society (ISN/ RPS) have indicated that the various LN classes exhibit different natural history and clinical patterns. Subclinical lupus nephritis (SLN) is nephritis diagnosed via renal biopsy despite normal urinalysis. Renal biopsy is the most important procedure to detect renal damage and SLN.