Retrospective analysis of nephritis response and renal outcome in a cohort of 928 Egyptian lupus nephritis patients: a university hospital experience.

Aim We aim to describe the pattern of response to treatment in a cohort of Egyptian lupus nephritis (LN) patients and to define variable prognostic factors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed records of 928 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (898 females, 30 males) with biopsy-confirmed LN seen between 2006 and 2012 at Cairo University hospitals. Results Our study involved 928 SLE patients with a mean age of 26.25 ± 6.487 years, mean LN duration at time of renal biopsy 6.48 ± 4.27 months, mean SLEDAI 28.22 ± 11.7, and mean follow-up duration of 44.14 ± 17.34 months. Induction treatment achieved remission in 683 patients. Remission was achieved in all 32 patients with class II LN, compared to 651/896 (72.7%) patients in classes III, IV, and V. Induction by intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide achieved response in 435/575 (75.7%) patients, while induction by mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) resulted in response in 216/321 (67.3%) patients ( p = 0.0068). Nephritic flares were least observed when MMF was used for maintenance (30/239 (12.6%) patients), compared to 71/365 patients (19.5%) ( p = 0.0266) when azathioprine (AZA) was used, and 22/79 patients (27.8%) ( p = 0.002) with IV cyclophosphamide. Class IV LN, high chronicity index, presence of crescents, and interstitial fibrosis in biopsies were all associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) development eventually ( p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.012, and p = 0.031, respectively). By the end of the study duration, 305 (32.7%) patients had CKD. Logistic regression detected that high baseline serum creatinine, failure to achieve remission, hypertension, and nephritic flare were the main risk factors for poor renal outcome ( p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.004, and p < 0.001, respectively). The 5 years' mortality was 69 (7.4%) patients with sepsis being the main cause of death. Conclusion IV cyclophosphamide superseded as induction treatment, while MMF was the best maintenance treatment. High serum creatinine, hypertension, and nephritic flare were the main risk factors for poor renal outcome.

Renal outcomes among Egyptian lupus nephritis patients: a retrospective analysis of 135 cases from a single centre.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this paper is to describe renal outcomes in a group of Egyptian patients with lupus nephritis and to identify variable prognostic factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of 135 patients (129 females, six males) with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis seen between 1999 and 2011 at Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, were reviewed and included in a retrospective analysis. Biopsies were classified according to the WHO classification. Renal outcomes were defined according to the Renal Subcommittee of Renal Insufficiency of the American College of Rheumatology. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 55.64 ± 25.68 (range 4-156) months. Thirty-nine patients (29.9%) developed an adverse final outcome. This composite outcome, defined as persistent elevation of serum creatinine ≥ 1.2 mg/dl, chronic renal insufficiency, end-stage renal disease or death, was seen in 12 (8.9%), seven (5.2%), three (2.2%) and 17 (12.6%) patients, respectively. The overall patient survival was 93.5% and 87.5% at five and 10 years, respectively. Factors associated with an adverse outcome included male gender (p = 0.037), hypertension at nephritis onset (p = 0.001), serum creatinine ≥1.2 mg/dl (p < 0.001), urinary casts (p = 0.006), anticardiolipin antibodies (p = 0.03), class IV nephritis (p < 0.001), hyaline thrombosis (0.003), glomerular sclerosis (p = 0.002), tubular atrophy(p < 0.001), interstitial fibrosis (p < 0.001) and a higher chronicity index (p = 0.006). Time-dependent factors associated with an adverse outcome included failure to achieve remission within the first year, uncontrolled hypertension, persistently low C3 and development of flares (p = 0.003, < 0.001, = 0.004, = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSION: The association of several adverse prognostic factors with the development of poor renal outcome has been confirmed in this study.