What is lupus nephritis? What are the symptoms of lupus nephritis?

 What is lupus nephritis?

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is commonly called lupus. It is a condition in which your immune system begins to attack various parts of your body.

Lupus nephritis is one of the most serious complications of lupus. LES This occurs when your immune system attacks your kidneys - in particular, parts of your kidneys filter your blood for waste products.

The kidneys play a vital role in the functioning of your body. They remove waste from your blood. If they are damaged, you will become seriously ill.

Those with damaged kidneys may need regular hemodialysis. This is the process of purifying your blood through a filtering machine. People with lupus nephritis also need a kidney transplant.

What are the symptoms of lupus nephritis?

The symptoms of lupus nephritis are similar to those of other kidney diseases. Among them are:

  • Dark urine
  • Blood in your urine
  • Foam urine
  • Frequent urination, often at night.
  • Swelling in the feet, ankles, and legs becomes more intense during the day
  • Weight gain
  • Hypertension

Diagnosis of lupus nephritis

One of the first signs of lupus nephritis is blood or very foamy urine in urine. High blood pressure and swelling in the feet can also indicate lupus nephritis. The following tests can help your doctor make a diagnosis.

Blood test

Your doctor will monitor the levels of waste products such as creatinine and urea. Normally, the kidneys filter these products.

24-hour urine collection

This test measures the kidneys' ability to filter waste. It determines how much protein is in the urine in 24 hours.

Urine analysis

Urinalysis measures kidney function. They identify levels:

  1. Protein
  2. red blood cells
  3. white blood cells

Ayothalamite clearance test:

This test uses a contrast dye to see if your kidneys filter properly.

Radioactive isotalamite is injected into the bloodstream. Your doctor will evaluate how quickly it is excreted in the urine. They can also directly test how fast it comes out of your blood. This is considered the most accurate test of kidney filtration rate.

Kidney biopsy

Biopsies are the most accurate and harmful way to diagnose kidney disease. Your doctor inserted a long needle through your abdomen into your kidney. They take a sample of kidney tissue to diagnose signs of damage.

Ultrasound

Ultrasounds use sound waves to create a detailed image of your kidney. Your doctor will look for something unusual about the size and shape of your kidney.

Stages of lupus nephritis

After diagnosis, your doctor will determine the severity of your kidney damage.

In 1964, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed a system to classify the five different stages of lupus nephritis. The new classification levels were established in 2003 by the International Society of Nephrology and the Society for Renal Pathology.

  • Class I: Minimal mesangial lupus nephritis
  • Class II: mesangial proliferative lupus nephritis
  • Class III: focal lupus nephritis (active and chronic, enlargement and sclerosing)
  • Class IV: diffuse lupus nephritis (active and chronic, enlarged and sclerosing, segmental and global)
  • 5th degree: lupus membrane nephritis
  • Class VI: Lupus nephritis due to advanced sclerosis

Treatment options for lupus nephritis:

There is no cure for lupus nephritis. The goal of treatment is to prevent the problem from getting worse. Stopping kidney damage early can prevent the need for a kidney transplant.

Common treatments:

  •  Reduce protein and salt intake
  • Take blood pressure medicine
  • Using steroids such as prednisone (Rios) to reduce inflammation and inflammation
  • Taking medications such as cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate-mofetil (Cellcept) to suppress your immunity.
  • Special care is taken with children or pregnant women.
  • Extensive kidney damage requires additional treatment.

Complications of lupus nephritis

The most serious problem associated with lupus nephritis is kidney failure. People with kidney failure may need dialysis or a kidney transplant.

Dialysis is usually the first treatment option, but it doesn't work indefinitely. Most dialysis patients eventually need a transplant. However, it may take months or years for the donor organ to become available.

The long-term outlook for people with lupus nephritis

The outlook for people with lupus nephritis varies. Most people only see occasional symptoms. Your kidney damage can be seen only during urinalysis.

If you have more severe nephritis symptoms, you risk losing kidney function. Treatments can help slow the rate of nephritis, but they are not always successful. Talk to your Nephrologist  Specialist about the right treatment for you.







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