Lupus nephritis arises when systemic lupus erythematosus, which is an autoimmune disease, affects the kidneys, causing inflammation and lesions in the small vessels responsible for filtering the toxins from the body. In this way, the kidney can no longer function normally and symptoms such as blood in the urine, high blood pressure or constant pain in the joints, for example.
Although it is a serious complication of lupus, nephritis can be controlled with appropriate treatment, so it is very important that people with lupus have regular consultations and examinations to assess the presence of complications. When not treated properly, lupus nephritis can lead to kidney failure.
Know the symptoms of lupus erythematosus and how the treatment is done.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of lupus nephritis can vary greatly from person to person; however, the most common ones are:
- Blood in the urine;
- Urine with foam;
- Excessive swelling of the legs, feet, face or hands;
- Constant pain in joints and muscles;
- Increased blood pressure;
- Fever without apparent cause;
When you have lupus and one or more of these symptoms, it is very important to consult the doctor who is treating the disease, so that he can do tests such as urine test or blood test and confirm the presence or not of nephritis, initiating treatment.
In some cases, it may even be necessary to have a kidney biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. For this, the doctor applies anesthesia at the site and, using a needle, removes a piece of tissue from the kidney, which is then analyzed in the laboratory.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment of lupus nephritis usually begins with the use of medicines prescribed by a physician to decrease the immune system response and decrease inflammation in the kidneys. Some of these medications are corticosteroids, such as Prednisone or immunosuppressants, such as Cyclophosphamide or Hydroxychloroquine, for example.
In addition, depending on the symptoms, diuretics may still be needed to lower blood pressure and to eliminate excess toxins and fluids from the body.
In some cases it may also be advisable to consult a dietitian to change the diet in order to facilitate kidney work and slow the progress of lupus. Here are some tips from our nutritionist:
Even in the most severe cases, where lupus has caused many kidney damage, renal insufficiency may begin to appear, and therefore treatment may involve the use of hemodialysis or even kidney transplantation.
Check out more about what food should be for those who have kidney problems.
Classification and types of lupus nephritis
Lupus nephritis can be divided into 6 classes:
- Class I : There are very mild changes in the kidney, which can neither cause symptoms nor be identified in the urine test;
- Class II : small lesions in the kidney that can cause signs such as urine with blood or presence of proteins in the urine test;
- Class III : lesions affect less than 50% of the glomeruli of the kidney and, therefore, there is a decrease in renal function;
- Class IV : lesions affect more than 50% of the glomeruli, and may cause renal failure;
- Class V : arise in only 20% of cases and may cause renal vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. But it does not usually cause kidney failure;
- Class VI : is the most advanced form of nephritis.
The class of lupus nephritis is always identified after doing the diagnostic exams to help the doctor decide on the best form of treatment for each case.
