title: Clinical features and histological patterns of lupus nephritis in Eastern Nepal.
abstract: To determine the clinical profile and patterns of lupus nephritis patients in Eastern Nepal, we studied 38 patients fulfilling the 1982 revised criteria of American College of Rheumatology for systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), followed up from January 2004 to January 2008. Arthritis was a common initial feature in addition to variable cutaneous, cardiac, pulmonary and neuropsychiatric manifestations. Renal biopsy showed grade 1 changes in 5 (13.5%) patients, grade 2 changes in 13 (35.1%) patients, grade 3 changes in 9 (24.3%) patients, grade 4 changes in 7 (18.9%) patients, grade 5 changes in 2 (5.4%) patients, and grade 6 changes in 2.7% patients. Antinuclear antibody (ANA) assay and anti-ds DNA were positive in 78.4 and 81.1%, respectively. We conclude that mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (grade 2) was the most common pattern of lupus nephritis encountered in our study. Timely diagnosis and treatment may improve the overall patients' survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. subodhs_d@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Subodh Sagar
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dhakal
authors.forename: Sanjib Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhatta
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhattarai
authors.forename: Smriti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karki
authors.forename: Shailendra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rijal
authors.forename: Prahlad
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karkil
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001706:Biopsy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology*; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal / Q000453:epidemiology; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor / Q000097:blood; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D015415:Biomarkers; D012217:Rheumatoid Factor