Lupus nephritis is inflammation of the renal glomeruli, caused by systemic lupus erythematosus, resulting in symptoms such as decreased amount of urine, swelling of the legs and blood in the urine.
Lupus nephritis affects more than half of people with lupus, being more common in women after the age of 30, although it can also affect men and people of other ages, and when not treated properly can cause kidney failure.
Read too: Nephritis: what it is, symptoms, types, causes and treatment
Although it is a serious complication of lupus, lupus nephritis can be controlled with appropriate treatment indicated by a nephrologist or rheumatologist. Therefore, it is very important that people with lupus have regular consultations and exams to assess the presence of complications.
Symptoms of lupus nephritis
The main symptoms of lupus nephritis are:
- Blood in the urine;
- Foamy urine;
- Excessive swelling of the legs, feet, face or hands;
- Frequent urge to urinate;
- Increased blood pressure;
- Fever with no apparent cause.
In the presence of symptoms of lupus nephritis, it is important to consult a rheumatologist or a nephrologist to carry out tests to confirm the diagnosis and thus begin the most appropriate treatment.
Read too: 15 main symptoms of lupus (with online test)
How to confirm the diagnosis
The initial diagnosis of lupus nephritis is suspected by a rheumatologist based on the evaluation of the symptoms presented by the person with lupus and blood and urine tests, and they normally present high levels of protein in the urine and low amounts of albumin in the blood.
Make an appointment with the rheumatologist in the nearest region:
Furthermore, the doctor should request a renal ultrasound as it allows the identification of changes, such as obstructions or swelling in the kidneys, called hydronephrosis, and also allows the anatomy of the organ to be assessed.
In some cases, a kidney biopsy may even be necessary to confirm the diagnosis. Find out how a kidney biopsy is performed.
Possible causes
Lupus nephritis is caused by systemic lupus erythematosus, which favors the deposition of immune complexes in the kidneys, which are a set of antibodies and antigens produced by the immune system against the body itself.
This causes inflammation in the kidneys and directly interferes with their functioning, leading to the appearance of symptoms.
Read too: Lupus: what it is, symptoms, types, causes and treatment
How the treatment is carried out
The treatment of lupus nephritis must normally be carried out under the guidance of a rheumatologist or nephrologist and is normally started with the use of medication to reduce the immune system’s response and reduce inflammation in the kidneys.
Some of these medications are corticosteroids, such as prednisone, dexamethasone or betamethasone, and/or immunosuppressants, such as mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine or cyclophosphamide.
Furthermore, depending on the symptoms, it may be necessary to use diuretics to lower blood pressure and eliminate excess toxins and fluids from the body.
In more serious cases, in which lupus has caused extensive damage to the kidney, kidney failure may begin to appear and, therefore, treatment may involve hemodialysis or even kidney transplantation.
Read too: Kidney transplant: what it is, how it is done, risks and recovery
In some cases, it may also be recommended to consult a nutritionist to change your diet in order to facilitate the kidney’s work and slow the progression of lupus. Find out what nutrition should be like for people with kidney problems.
