Clinical, laboratory and histopathological characteristics at first and second biopsies in all patients
| First biopsy | Second biopsy | p Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender, n (%), female | 58 (87) | ||
| Male | 9 (13) | ||
| Age | 34 (18–61) | ||
| Ethnicity, n Caucasian | 59 | ||
| Hispanic | 2 | ||
| Asian | 3 | ||
| African | 3 | ||
| Creatinine, µmol/L | 84 (44–284) | 76 (45–306) | 0.003 |
| Albuminuria, g/day | 1.4 (0–8.4) | 0.5 (0–3.6) | <0.001 |
| C3, g/L | 0.5 (0.12–1.13) | 0.79 (0.38–1.51) | <0.001 |
| C4, g/L | 0.09 (0.02–0.51) | 0.13 (0.02–0.45) | <0.001 |
| Anti-DNA ab IU/mL* | 165 (<5–300) | 29.5 (<5–300) | <0.001 |
| % positive (>5 IU/mL) | 96 | 91 | |
| Renal histology (ISN/RPS), n | |||
| I–II | – | 14 | |
| III C | – | 13 | |
| III A or A/C | 21 | 10 | |
| IV C | – | 1 | |
| IV A or A/C | 27 | 7 | |
| III- IV/V | 9 | 2 | |
| V | 10 | 19 | |
| Vasculitis | – | 1 | |
| Activity index | 5 (0–13) | 2 (0–12) | <0.001 |
| Chronicity index | 1 (0–6) | 1.5 (0–8) | <0.001 |
| Prednisolone at biopsy †, % | 69 | 97 | |
| Dose, mg/day | 20 (2.5–60) | 10 (2.5–60) | 0.003 |
| Induction treatment, n | |||
| Cyclophosphamide | 51 | ||
| Mycophenolate mofetil | 12 | ||
| Rituximab | 3‡ | ||
| Azathioprin | 1§ |
All statistical significant p-values (p<0.05) are in italics. Values are presented as median (range) unless otherwise indicated.
*Available in 57 patients.
†% of patients treated with prednisolone.
‡In two patients with class V and 1 with class III.
§In a patient with class V LN.
C3, complement component 3; C4, complement component 4; ISN/RPS, International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society classification; LN, lupus nephritis.