A descriptive study of the factors associated with damage in Malaysian patients with lupus nephritis

IntroductionRenal involvement is the most common serious complication in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).ObjectiveThe objective of this article is to investigate and determine the associated factors of disease damage among lupus nephritis (LN) patients.MethodsMedical records of LN patients who attended regular follow-up for at least one year in the Nephrology/SLE Clinic, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), were reviewed. Their Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology (SLICC/ACR) Damage Index scores were noted. Univariate analysis and multivariable regression analysis were performed to determine the independent factors of disease damage in LN.ResultsA total of 150 patients were included and their follow-up duration ranged from one to 20 years. Sixty (40%) LN patients had disease damage (SDI ≥1). In the univariate analysis, it was associated with age, longer disease duration, antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), higher maximum daily ...