Association Between Hypoalbuminemia, Degree of Proteinuria, and Lupus Nephritis Class: A Single-Center Cross-Sectional Biopsy Study

Background: The current study intended to determine whether serum albumin level and urine protein/creatinine rate (uPCR) are appropriate predictors of severe lupus nephritis in childhood-onset SLE. Objectives: Following a cross-sectional single-center design, 85 LN children referred to the National Children Hospital, Ha Noi, Viet Nam, from 6/2019 to 6/2020 were recruited. Renal biopsy was performed for all participants. Methods: Following a cross-sectional single-center design, 85 LN children referred to the National Children Hospital, Ha Noi, Viet Nam, from 6/2019 to 6/2020 were recruited. Renal biopsy was performed for all participants. Results: The mean SLEDAI score of all patients was 14.69. The proportion of patients with high and very high SLEDAI was 61.2 and 17.6%, respectively. The mean concentration of serum albumin was 28.55 g/L, and the proportion of decreased albumin concentration was 55.3%. The median uPCR was 446.6 mg/mmol in which 76.5% of values were ≥ 200 mg/mmol. Pathological morphology of LN class from I to VI was observed in 0%, 17.6%, 37.6 %, 37.6%, 7.1%, and 0%, respectively. Serum albumin level and uPCR presented the predictive value for severe and active LN (class IV and V); (AUC: 0.725 P < 0.001 for both). Conclusions: Serum albumin and uPCR were appropriate predictors for severe and active LN in Vietnamese children.