Study finds key risk factors for advanced chronic kidney disease in childhood-onset lupus nephritis

Male sex and failure to achieve remission within the first 12 months of treatment are significant predictors of advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) in childhood-onset lupus nephritis (LN), according to a study.

The retrospective cohort study enrolled 216 patients with histologically diagnosed LN during childhood. The mean age at kidney biopsy was 13.2 ± 3.22 years, with the primary forms of presentation being nephrotic syndrome and/or hematuria in 152 patients (70.4%).

Histologically, the study found that the most common finding was World Health Organization (WHO) class IV in 138 patients (63.9%), followed by WHO class III in 34 patients (15.7%).

In the outcome analysis, the mean follow-up period was 7.8 ± 5.11 years. At the last follow-up, 32 patients (14.8%) had developed advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). The study identified male sex and failure to achieve remission at 12 months of treatment as significant risk factors for developing advanced CKD, with hazard ratios of 2.57 and 2.29, respectively.

Reference
Park E, Jung J, Min J, et al. Long-term outcomes and associated prognostic risk factors of childhood-onset lupus nephritis. Kidney Res Clin Pract. 2023;10.23876/j.krcp.23.032. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38148127.