Clinical and Histopathological Characterization of Lupus Nephritis in A Tertiary Health Centre, North-eastern Nigeria: Report of five cases

Abstract

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) is an immune complex glomerulonephritis that complicates up to 40% of SLE patients. A kidney biopsy is required for diagnosis and staging of the disease.

Case report: We report a cohort of five patients with LN from a tertiary health facility in northeastern Nigeria. The five patients were all women with age ranging from 26 to 55 years, and eGFR of between 6 to 154ml/minute. Four patients had normal kidney size and were biopsied whereas 1 patient had contracted kidney. Diffuse proliferative LN (Class IV) was seen in two patients while the other two patients had glomerular sclerosis (Class VI). Patients were given induction with methylprednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). At one year follow up 2(40%) patients were in remission, 1(20%) was on maintenance hemodialysis and 2(40%) patients had died.

Conclusion: Lupus nephritis is a common complication of SLE in northeastern Nigeria. Patients have features of advanced kidney disease at presentation.