Retrospective analysis of the renal outcome of pediatric lupus nephritis.

The aim of this study was to analyze the renal outcome of pediatric lupus nephritis in the past two decades. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who fulfilled the 1987 American Rheumatism Association revised criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus who were followed up at the National Taiwan University Hospital between 1980 and 2001. All new patients who were under 18 years of age at the time of diagnosis were enrolled and were followed up until death, loss to follow-up, or till the end of 2002. The response to the treatment and renal outcome were analyzed. Seventy-two children (64 girls and 8 boys) were enrolled in the study. The mean age at diagnosis was 13.93+/-0.35 years (mean +/- SEM). The mean duration of follow-up was 7.12+/-0.51 years. The 5-year renal survival rate (survival without dialysis or transplantation) was 63.13% and the 10-year survival rate was 53.54%. It was significantly better in patients receiving cyclophosphamide (CYC) pulse therapy. The 5-year survival rate for these patients was 87.82% and the 10-year survival rate was 81.06%. The renal survival curve was better in the CYC pulse therapy group than in the no CYC pulse therapy group, with p=0.0022. The duration between the diagnosis of lupus nephritis and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was significantly longer in the CYC group (9.66+/-1.32 yrs) than in the no CYC group (3.24+/-0.94 yers), p=0.036. In the multivariate analysis, risk factors of developing ESRD were failure to achieve complete remission, higher serum creatinine at the initiation of treatment, and not receiving CYC pulse therapy. The renal survival was significantly better in the CYC pulse therapy group. The CYC pulse therapy was recommended in pediatric lupus nephritis patients and every effort should be made to achieve complete remission.