LUPUS NEPHRITIS TREATMENT

• Type: Another Publication in an International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2008

Authors

Santos Araujo, C (Author) Other; Pestana M (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Acta Medica Portuguesa

Vol. 21

Pages: 259-272

ISSN: 0870-399X

Publisher: Ordem dos Medicos

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-ZFN

Abstract (EN): Systemic lupus erithematosus (SLE) is a multiorganic inflammatory disease characterized by a significant morbidity and mortality related not just to disease evolution but also to therapeutic side effects. Sixty percent of SLE patients develop renal disease related to lupus. Moreover, several studies report that lupus nephritis is an important predictor of both renal impairment and global mortality in these patients. In lupus nephritis, the renal biopsy still represents a cornerstone for both histological grading and therapeutical management. Several classification schemes for lupus nephritis based mainly on morphological parameters have been proposed so far. In the WHO grading system the most severe form of lupus nephritis is the diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis or lupus nephritis class IV. In fact, several authors have documented an invariable course to end stage renal failure in these patients, in the absence of specific therapy. Despite the considerable improvement observed since the introduction of corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide treatment, a significant number of patients still present an incomplete response to therapy. Moreover, even in the cases of good response to therapy adverse events related to the treatment such as infertility, hemorrhagic cystitis or increased susceptibility to infection frequently supervenes. Probably in the next few years it will be possible to use the knowledge obtained in the several experimental models of lupus nephritis implemented so far to develop new strategies of therapeutic induction or maintenance of remission in lupus nephritis patients. In this paper a revision of the different resources available today for proliferative diffuse and membranous lupus nephritis treatment is made, with a specific mention to the most promising options in the near future in this area.

Language: Portuguese

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 14