Renal biopsy is an important pathological exam in kidney disease and it can
tell the severity of kidney damage and specific pathological types. Therefore,
it has important reference value in declining the treatments. However, as it can
lead to some risks and damages to patients. Therefore, the patients with Lupus Nephritis should look before leap.
Functions of renal biopsy in diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis
1. Renal biopsy can tell whether you get Lupus Nephritis
Renal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) includes not only the
various classes of Lupus Nephritis, but also non-kidney disease that may affect
persons of similar age and gender like IgA Nephropathy, Focal Segmental
Glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and so on. These kidney diseases may manifest the
similar clinical symptoms of Lupus Nephritis. Therefore, renal biopsy is of
great importance when considering these diagnoses.
2. Renal biopsy can tell you the pathological type
The clinical symptoms of Lupus Nephritis are related to its pathological
classes. However, in some cases, the different pathological classes of Lupus
Nephritis may have overlaps in their symptoms. Moreover, not all active lupus
renal damages have clinical symptoms and abnormal lab manifestations as well as
symptoms of lupus outside kidneys. In some cases of Lupus Nephritis, the
patients have active renal damage, but lack clinical symptoms outside kidneys
and serologic abnormality. Therefore, if clinical symptoms are not enough to
diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis pathological classes, the patients should take
renal biopsy so as to receive proper treatment in time.
Although renal biopsy is important for the diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis, it
brings certain risk to the patients. Bleeding is a common complication of renal
biopsy due to concurrent corticosteroid use or platelet dysfunction. In serious
cases, the major complications of renal biopsy even require blood transfusion or
invasive intervention.
In conclusion, renal biopsy is important to the patients to get an early
accurate diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis and receive an effective treatment in
time. However, they also should neglect the adverse side effects of renal
biopsy. If there is difficulty in the diagnosis of Lupus Nephritis, the patients
should undergo renal biopsy under their doctors’ guidance.