Systemic lupus erythematosus without clinical renal abnormalities: renal biopsy findings and clinical course.

The extent and significance of renal biopsy abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without clinical renal abnormalities is controversial. We report 11 consecutive SLE patients who were biopsied without clinical renal abnormalities. All 11 patients had mesangial changes either by light microscopy or by immunofluorescent staining, and none had changes of focal or diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. Additionally none had deterioration of renal function during the mean follow-up period of 6.3 years.