Characterization of patients under 18 years of age with lupus nephritis at the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital and at the San Vicente Fundación Hospital in the city of Medellín between 2008 and 2017

Introduction

The kidney is one of the organs frequently affected in systemic lupus erythematosus (40–60%); the manifestations are variable, from a silent pattern to the irreversible impairment of renal function.

Materials and methods

Descriptive study with retrospective information in a group of patients under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of lupus nephritis, attended in two referral centres of the city of Medellin between 2008 and 2017. Clinical records of patients who met the inclusion criteria were reviewed.

Results

The median age was 13 years, with predominance in females. The majority had renal involvement at the time of diagnosis of lupus. Histological class IV was the most frequent (48%). Age under 10 years, absence of response to induction therapy, and histological class IV, were related to the development of chronic kidney disease (>60 ml/min/1.73 m²).

Conclusions

Renal involvement was higher in this study. Age, class IV, and non-response to induction were associated with impaired renal function.