Lupus Nephritis

Abstract

Introduction Uremia has been cited as a leading cause of death in most reviews^1-12 of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This has been particularly true since the advent of steroid therapy which has prevented death in the acute "toxic" phase of the disease, permitting survival and progression to the phase of chronic renal failure.⁵ Interest with natural history of SLE has been heightened by the recent optimistic reports of Pollak et al.¹³ and Holman,¹⁴ both of which, contrary to previous opinions,^2,3,8,9 indicate favorable effects of "high" dosage steroid therapy. For this reason, we report our clinical and histologic experience. Methods and Material All cases of "lupus nephritis" from 1951 through mid-1961 at Georgetown University Hospital were reviewed clinically and histologically. The diagnosis was based on the presence of SLE and clinical and/or histologic evidence of renal involvement. After hospital charts were reviewed, the corresponding material, if