Comparisons between baseline and follow-up data
| All nephritis cases | PLN cases | MLN cases | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mb; Mf | p Value | Mb; Mf | p Value | Mb; Mf | p Value | |
| BLyS levels (ng/mL) | ||||||
| CYC treated patients | 1.4; 1.8 | 0.99 (n=45) | 1.5; 1.8 | 0.67 (n=40) | 1.3; 2.2 | 0.043 ↑ (n=5) |
| MMF treated patients | 1.6; 1.1 | 0.091 (n=11) | 1.8; 1.4 | 0.26 (n=9) | 1.5; 0.8 | 0.18 (n=2) |
| RTX treated patients | 1.6; 3.6 | 0.18 (n=7) | 4.1; 3.9 | 0.29 (n=3) | 1.4; 2.4 | 0.47 (n=4) |
| Clinical responders (CCR+CPR) | 1.4; 1.8 | 0.35 (n=48) | 1.4; 1.6 | 0.80 (n=41) | 1.6; 2.4 | 0.028 ↑ (n=7) |
| Clinical non-responders | 2.2; 1.7 | 0.12 (n=16) | 3.3; 2.1 | 0.091 (n=11) | 1.5; 1.1 | 0.69 (n=5) |
| Histopathological responders (HCR+HPR) | 1.5; 1.9 | 0.89 (n=49) | 1.5; 1.9 | 0.76 (n=43) | 1.5; 2.3 | 0.075 (n=6) |
| Histopathological non-responders | 1.5; 1.5 | 0.83 (n=14) | 1.5; 1.5 | 0.52 (n=9) | 1.6; 1.1 | 0.50 (n=5) |
| APRIL levels (ng/mL) | ||||||
| CYC treated patients | 8.8; 6.2 | 0.006 ↓ (n=45) | 9.1; 6.4 | 0.015 ↓ (n=40) | 6.4; 3.6 | 0.080 (n=5) |
| MMF treated patients | 4.9; 3.2 | 0.065 (n=11) | 5.4; 3.4 | 0.051 (n=9) | 3.6; 2.2 | 0.18 (n=2) |
| RTX treated patients | 5.9; 5.6 | 0.063 (n=7) | 4.0; 5.8 | 0.59 (n=3) | 7.5; 4.8 | 0.068 (n=4) |
| Clinical responders (CCR+CPR) | 8.6; 5.4 | 0.002 ↓ (n=48) | 8.8; 5.4 | 0.009 ↓ (n=41) | 5.9; 4.0 | 0.043 ↓ (n=7) |
| Clinical non-responders | 6.3; 5.6 | 0.017 ↓ (n=16) | 6.3; 6.2 | 0.13 (n=11) | 6.4; 3.6 | 0.043 ↓ (n=5) |
| Histopathological responders (HCR+HPR) | 8.8; 5.4 | 0.003 ↓ (n=49) | 8.8; 5.4 | 0.010 ↓ (n=43) | 7.7; 4.8 | 0.075 (n=6) |
| Histopathological non-responders | 6.1; 4.2 | 0.016 ↓ (n=14) | 6.4; 6.2 | 0.12 (n=9) | 4.7; 2.8 | 0.043 ↓ (n=5) |
Comparisons between baseline and follow-up in all nephritis cases, in the PLN patient subgroup and in the MLN patient subgroup, according to the treatment given, as well as clinical and histopathological response to treatment. Statistically significant p values are highlighted with bold type. Upward arrows (↑) signify significant increases; downward arrows (↓) signify significant decreases.
APRIL, a proliferation inducing ligand; BLyS, B lymphocyte stimulator; CCR, clinical complete responders; CPR, clinical partial responders; CYC, cyclophosphamide; HCR, histopathological complete responders; HPR, histopathological partial responders; Mb, median at baseline; Mf, median at follow-up; MLN, membranous lupus nephritis; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; PLN, proliferative lupus nephritis; RTX, rituximab.