Lupus Nephritis Causes

Over the past several decades, scientists have begun to understand the causes of lupus nephritis. This illness is one complication of systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE. In patients with SLE, the immune system produces antibodies against itself. This can cause inflammation of the kidneys, which is known as lupus nephritis. About 80 percent of patients with lupus nephritis that is serious enough to require dialysis or kidney transplants survive more than five years after the treatment. While it may recur in a transplanted kidney, it rarely progresses to end stage renal disease. 

Lupus nephritis affects about three out of every 10,000 people. SLE is most common in women ages 20 to 40 and tends to run in families. In some cases, pregnancy can cause lupus. SLE causes various disorders of the kidney structure, including interstitial nephritis and membranous GN, as well as lupus nephritis.

If you have lupus nephritis, you may have no symptoms at all. In fact, about half of all patients with lupus nephritis show no symptoms. However, if you do have signs or symptoms, they may include swelling around the eyes, legs, ankles, and fingers, dark or cloudy urine, and weight gain. Because these symptoms can also indicate other illnesses, it is important to be diagnosed by a qualified health care provider.