Lupus Nephritis: Redefining the treatment goals
The course of proliferative lupus nephritis (LN) is characterized by flares of activity alternating with periods of quiescence, against a background of chronic immune dysregulation. An accurate assessment of disease activity is of unassailable importance to tailor therapy. In the present communication, we discuss the available clinical, serological and histological tools to evaluate disease activity and how they may be applied to redefine the treatment goals in LN. Traditionally, treatment response is judged by the degree of proteinuria reduction and improvement of kidney function, but this fails to differentiate ongoing inflammatory disease from chronic damage.
