Abstract

ESTEVEZ DEL TORO, Miguel H. et al. Predictive factors of response to cyclophosphamide-based induction therapy for proliferative lupus nephritis. Rev cubana med [online]. 2007, vol.46, n.2. ISSN 0034-7523.

Renal damage brings significant additional morbidity and mortality to patients with systemic erythematous lupus (SEL). Thirty eight patients with SEL and proliferative lupus nephritis were studied to determine what percentage of them has good response to intravenous cyclophosphamide-based induction therapy and the factors that allow predicting that response. These subjects were seen in the period from January 1997 to December 2006 and received induction therapy based on 6 doses of cyclophosphamide pulses every month. A longitudinal prognostic evaluation study was undertaken. Response to induction therapy was seen in 27 patients (71.1%) that was complete in 24 cases and partial in 3 patients. The analyzed variables comprising socio-demographic, clinical and histological ones, already existing before the treatment, were not significantly associated to response prediction including renal function test and renal activity, and histological chronicity indexes. It was concluded that cyclophosphamide is effective in induction therapy for proliferative lupus nephritis; however, the predictive factors for cases that will not respond to it remained unknown.

Keywords : Systemic erythematosus lupus; lupus nephritis; cyclophosphamide; induction therapy; response to treatment.