AB0441 ASSOCIATION OF CO-POSITIVITY FOR ANTI-DSDNA, -NUCLEOSOME, AND -HISTONE ANTIBODIES AND DISEASE ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH LUPUS NEPHRITIS: RESULTS FROM THE KORNET REGISTRY

Background: Recent studies have shown that the simultaneous positivity of anti-double stranded DNA, -nucleosome, and -histone antibodies (3-pos) is prevalent in lupus nephritis (LN) patients compared to non-renal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to define the clinical, biologic, histopathologic, and prognostic differences according to the simultaneous reactivity to those antibodies in Korean patients with biopsy-proven LN. Methods: We studied 102 patients who underwent kidney biopsy prior to the start of induction treatment and who were subsequently treated with immunosuppressives and followed-up for more than 12 months. Sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment-related data at the time of kidney biopsy and during follow-up were obtained by a review of patients’ charts. Antibodies were detected by immunoblot analysis or ELISA at the time of renal biopsy. Results: Fifty-eight (35.4%) of the total of 102 LN patients had 3-pos. In comparison with non-3-pos patients, the patients with 3-pos showed a higher SLE Disease Activity Index-2000 score (P=0.002), lower lymphocyte level (p=0.004), higher proportion of proteinuria >3.5 g/24 hr (p=0.005), and higher positivity of urinary sediments (p=0.005) at the time of renal biopsy. In the renal histopathologic findings, the patients with 3-pos had more proliferative LN (p=0.015) and also showed more endocapillary hypercellularity, sub-endothelial hyaline deposits, fibrinoid necrosis/karyorrhexis, and cellular crescents in the disease activity index (p=0.016, p=0.045, p=0.002, and p=0.022, respectively), as well as a higher activity score (p=0.011). After a median follow-up of 83.2 months, rapid glomerular filtration rate decline was frequently observed in patients with 3-pos compared to those without (p=0.012). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that 3-pos is related to severe LN and, furthermore, that patients with 3-pos show a rapid decline of renal function compared to those without. Disclosure of Interests: None declared