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Rodriguez-Ramirez S, Wiegley N, Mejia-Vilet JM. Kidney Biopsy in Management of Lupus Nephritis: A Case-Based Narrative Review. Kidney Med 2024; 6:100772. [PMID: 38317756 PMCID: PMC10840121 DOI: 10.1016/j.xkme.2023.100772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Kidney involvement in patients with lupus highly increases morbidity and mortality. In recent years, several reports have emphasized the dissociation between clinical and histological findings and highlighted the role of kidney biopsy as an instrument for diagnosis and follow-up of lupus nephritis. The kidney biopsy at initial diagnosis allows an early diagnosis, assessment of activity and chronicity, and detection of nonimmune complex nephritis. A kidney biopsy repeated months after treatment aids in the detection of persistent histological inflammation, which has been linked to the occurrence of future kidney relapses. A kidney biopsy at a relapse detects histological changes including chronic scarring. Finally, a kidney biopsy in patients with a clinical response undergoing maintenance immunosuppression may aid therapy tapering and/or suspension. The evidence supporting the use of a kidney biopsy in different scenarios across the course of lupus nephritis is heterogeneous, with most reports assessing the value for the diagnosis of a first or relapsing flare. In contrast, less evidence suggests additional therapeutic-modifying information derived from repeat posttreatment biopsies and biopsies to evaluate treatment tapering or suspension. In this clinical case-based review, we examine the role of kidney biopsy as a tool to improve clinical outcomes of patients with lupus nephritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Rodriguez-Ramirez
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ajmera Transplant Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nasim Wiegley
- University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Sacramento, California, United States
| | - Juan Manuel Mejia-Vilet
- Department of Nephrology and Mineral Metabolism. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
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Parodis I, Moroni G, Calatroni M, Bellis E, Gatto M. Is per-protocol kidney biopsy required in lupus nephritis? Autoimmun Rev 2024; 23:103422. [PMID: 37633351 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
Baseline kidney biopsy is recommended in lupus nephritis (LN). Biopsy allows to classify different forms of LN and differentiate other forms of renal involvement, such as tubulo-interstitial nephritis or thrombotic microangiopathy. The indications for repeat biopsy are more controversial. Some authors feel that good clinical monitoring is sufficient to assess prognosis and make therapeutic decisions. Based on the recently demonstrated discordance between clinical and histological response, some physicians recommend per-protocol biopsies either at 6 months in stable patients to verify the response to induction therapy, or after one-to-two years to assess treatment efficacy and tune the duration of maintenance therapy. Others recommend repeating kidney biopsy in case of incomplete response or to discriminate between active and chronic lesions. By definition, a per-protocol kidney biopsy differs from a repeat biopsy in that the former is foreseen at fixed timepoints, regardless of the clinical response. Although any decision should always consider the patient's overall clinical condition, there are no doubts that repeat kidney biopsy represents a useful tool in difficult cases to evaluate treatment response, modulate treatment intensity, and predict long-term renal outcome both in quiescent lupus and during flares. How to harmonize per-protocol biopsies in the LN course remains challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Parodis
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Medical Unit of Gastroenterology, Dermatology, and Rheumatology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Gabriella Moroni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele Milan, Italy; Nephrology and Dialysis Division, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Marta Calatroni
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele Milan, Italy; Nephrology and Dialysis Division, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Bellis
- Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Mariele Gatto
- Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy; Unit of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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Gopal A, Kavadichanda C, Gayathri MS, Gorijavolu M, Bairwa D, Mariaselvam CM, Srinivas BH, Thabah MM, Negi VS. Kidney histopathology in predicting flares following drug withdrawal in proliferative lupus nephritis in clinical remission. Rheumatol Int 2023:10.1007/s00296-023-05497-x. [PMID: 37987842 DOI: 10.1007/s00296-023-05497-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Residual renal histopathological activity at clinical remission in Proliferative Lupus Nephritis (PLN) can predict renal flare upon immunosuppression withdrawal. Data on the role of histological renal remission in predicting extra-renal flares is lacking. We assessed renal histopathology prior to drug withdrawal and the occurrence of renal and extra-renal flares over 52 weeks after drug withdrawal in PLN patients in long-term clinical remission. This is a subgroup analysis of a non-inferiority, open-label randomized (1:1) controlled trial. Patients with biopsy-proven Class III/IV LN in the past (biopsy 1), on immunosuppressants (IS) ≥ 3 years, in clinical remission for ≥ 1 year, on stable prednisolone dose (≤ 7.5 mg/day) plus a maintenance IS and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) were subjected to a repeat renal biopsy (biopsy 2). Individuals with biopsy 2 having activity index (AI) < 4/24 were randomised to either prednisolone or IS withdrawal. Primary end-point was the proportion experiencing a flare [SELENA-SLEDAI flare index (SFI)] at week 52. Twenty-eight eligible patients underwent biopsy 2 and randomized to prednisolone (n = 15) and IS (n = 13) withdrawal. At biopsy 1, 12 (43%) had class III, 15 (53.5%) had class IV, and 1 (3.5%) had class III + V. At biopsy 2, PLN persisted in 4 (14.2%) while 18 (64.2%) were in histological remission (AI = 0) with 6 (21.4%) in class II. Following drug withdrawal, 9/28 (32%) had flares especially musculoskeletal (55.5%), mucocutaneous (44.4%), and renal (33.3%). Among the four persistent PLN patients, one of the two (50%) with AI = 1 had extra-renal flare while both the two with AI = 2 (100%) had renal and extra-renal flares. In those with histological remission (biopsy 2), 6/18 (66.6%) experienced extra-renal flare of whom one also had renal flare. Upon drug withdrawal, renal histopathology findings with any activity index can predict renal flare while histological remission is not enough to predict extra-renal flare, thus making it an unsuitable marker for deep SLE remission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Gopal
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
| | - Chengappa Kavadichanda
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India.
| | - Mohan Sreelekha Gayathri
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
| | - Mamatha Gorijavolu
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
| | - Devender Bairwa
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
- Department of Medicine, AIIMS, Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Christina Mary Mariaselvam
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
| | | | - Molly Mary Thabah
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
| | - Vir Singh Negi
- Department of Clinical Immunology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Fourth Floor SSB, Puducherry, India
- Executive Director, AIIMS Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, India
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Herrnstadt GR, Holzer MT, Steinmetz OM, Kötter I, Melderis S. [Renal manifestations in connective tissue diseases]. Z Rheumatol 2022; 81:829-844. [PMID: 36348023 DOI: 10.1007/s00393-022-01281-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Connective tissue diseases (CTD) comprise a group of inflammatory systemic diseases that can affect various organs. Kidney involvement is frequently associated with significant irreversible damage and often before patients become symptomatic. Screening tests of blood and urine as well as clinical vigilance are therefore essential for all CTDs with possible renal involvement. A kidney biopsy is the gold standard for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment decisions. A common and severe organ involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is glomerulonephritis (GN), also collectively referred to as lupus nephritis (LN). If left untreated LN often leads to end-stage renal failure. The treatment depends on the clinical parameters and histopathology of the renal involvement. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclophosphamide are potent but nonspecific immunosuppressants which have been available for many years. Recently, new substances specific for LN have also been approved for the first time. Kidney involvement in Sjogren's syndrome has been far less studied. In studies the frequency of renal involvement is still unclear and ranges from 5% to 33%. Tubulointerstitial nephritis (IN) is the typical form of renal involvement which clearly differs from GN in its clinical presentation. Recommendations for treatment are based exclusively on retrospective studies. A renal crisis in systemic scleroderma (SSc) is a rare but feared complication with a high mortality. An antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) nephropathy (APSN) can occur during CTD. These entities are vasculopathies and often thrombotic microangiopathies, which clearly differ from GN and IN in terms of pathophysiology, clinical features and treatment. This article provides an overview of the diversity of the most important renal manifestations of CTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg R Herrnstadt
- III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Marie-Therese Holzer
- III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Sektion für Rheumatologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Oliver M Steinmetz
- III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - Ina Kötter
- III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Sektion für Rheumatologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.,Klinik für Rheumatologie und Immunologie am Klinikum Bad Bramstedt, Bad Bramstedt, Deutschland
| | - Simon Melderis
- III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland. .,III. Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Sektion für Rheumatologie, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Deutschland.
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Obrișcă B, Vornicu A, Procop A, Herlea V, Terinte-Balcan G, Gherghiceanu M, Ismail G. A Histology-Guided Approach to the Management of Patients with Lupus Nephritis: Are We There Yet? Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10061409. [PMID: 35740431 PMCID: PMC9220241 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10061409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Renal involvement is a frequent complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It occurs in up to two-thirds of patients, often early during the disease course, and is the most important predictor of the morbidity and mortality of SLE patients. Despite tremendous improvements in the approach of the lupus nephritis (LN) therapy, including the recent approval of two new disease-modifying therapies, up to 50% of patients do not obtain a renal response and up to 25% will eventually progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) within 10 years of diagnosis. Given the lack of correlation between clinical features and histological lesions, there is an increasing need for a histology-guided approach to the management of patients with LN. Apart from the initial diagnosis of type and severity of renal injury in SLE, the concept of a repeat kidney biopsy (either in a for-cause or a per-protocol scenario) has begun to gain increasing popularity in the nephrology community. Herein, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the most important areas of utility of the kidney biopsy in patients with LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Obrișcă
- Department of Nephrology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania; (B.O.); (A.V.)
- Department of Nephrology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandra Vornicu
- Department of Nephrology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania; (B.O.); (A.V.)
- Department of Nephrology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandru Procop
- Department of Pathology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania; (A.P.); (V.H.)
| | - Vlad Herlea
- Department of Pathology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania; (A.P.); (V.H.)
| | - George Terinte-Balcan
- Ultrastructural Pathology, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050097 Bucharest, Romania; (G.T.-B.); (M.G.)
| | - Mihaela Gherghiceanu
- Ultrastructural Pathology, “Victor Babes” National Institute of Pathology, 050097 Bucharest, Romania; (G.T.-B.); (M.G.)
| | - Gener Ismail
- Department of Nephrology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, 022328 Bucharest, Romania; (B.O.); (A.V.)
- Department of Nephrology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence:
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Moroni G, Frontini G, Ponticelli C. When and How Is It Possible to Stop Therapy in Patients with Lupus Nephritis: A Narrative Review. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2021; 16:1909-1917. [PMID: 34162696 PMCID: PMC8729481 DOI: 10.2215/cjn.04830421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressants still represent the cornerstone drugs for the management of SLE and lupus nephritis. The refined use of these drugs over the years has allowed us to obtain stable disease remission and improvement of long-term kidney and patient survival. Nevertheless, a prolonged use of immunosuppressive agents may be accompanied by severe and even life-threatening side effects. Theoretically, a transient or even definitive withdrawal of immunosuppression could be useful to prevent iatrogenic morbidities. For many years, however, the risk of SLE reactivation has held clinicians back from trying to interrupt therapy. In this review, we report the results of the attempts to interrupt glucocorticoids and other immunosuppressive agents in lupus nephritis and in SLE. The available data suggest that therapy withdrawal is feasible at least in patients enjoying a complete clinical remission after a prolonged therapy. A slow and gradual reduction of treatment under medical surveillance is needed to prevent flares of activity. After therapy withdrawal, around one-quarter of patients may have kidney or systemic flares. However, most flares may respond to therapy if rapidly diagnosed. The other patients can enter stable remission for even 20 years or more. The use of antimalarials can help in maintaining the remission after the withdrawal of the immunosuppressive therapy. A repeated kidney biopsy could be of help in deciding to stop therapy, but given the few available data, it cannot be considered essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Moroni
- Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Frontini
- Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Milano, Milan, Italy
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