Prognostic value of renal hemodynamic characteristics in patients with proliferative lupus nephritis

Background/Aim: Previous studies showed that renal hemodynamic parameters, especially the filtration fraction ( FF), are decreased in patients with active lupus nephritis ( LN). In this study, we evaluate the prognostic value of renal hemodynamic function tests on the renal outcome in patients with proliferative LN. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of our patients with proliferative LN from 1986 to 2005. Glomerular filtration rate ( GFR) and FF before treatment were measured. Treatment failure was defined as a renal relapse or development of end-stage renal disease. Results: Thirty-seven patients were included. The median follow-up period was 8 years. Creatinine clearance, GFR, and FF before treatment correlated with the creatinine clearance at the end of follow-up ( p = 0.001, p = 0.006, and p = 0.04, respectively). The FF was decreased in 92% of our patients, but FF and GFR did not have a prognostic value with regard to treatment failure. Conclusions: Most patients with proliferative LN had a low FF. Low GFR and FF at baseline were correlated with a worse renal function at the end of follow-up, but this had no prognostic value in individual patients. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.