Lupus Nephritis refers to the inflammation of kidneys caused by systemic
lupus erythematosus( SLE). Nearly all patients with SLE have renal damage in
varying degrees and approximately half develop Renal Failure.
In healthy condition, our immune systems play important role in preventing
the foreign pathological virus and bacteria from invading into our body.
However, some people have autoimmune deficiency. When the lupus viruses as
antigens invade into their body, the activated immune system fails to defeat
them. As a result, the antibodies will form immune complexes deposit in the
glomerular epithelial cells. Alternatively, the antigens also bind with the
antibodies in kidneys forming immune complexes in situ. For the exclusiveness
ability, the body will does their best to remove the immune complexes out of
body leading to the immune inflammatory response. When the inflammatory response
occurs excessively, it will lead damage to the glomerular epithelial cells. In
clinic, the patients will present a series of Lupus Nephritis symptoms.
The conventional therapies for Lupus Nephritis mainly focus on to eliminating
proteinuria, high blood pressure or restraining the abnormal inflammatory
response. In most cases, the patients with Lupus Nephritis can have obvious
improvement after a period of hormone and immunosuppressive treatment. However,
when the hormone dosage is reduced or the patients suffer from infection like a
mild cold, it will trigger the disease again. Why does Lupus Nephritis relapse
frequently? That is because the immune complexes in the glomerular epithelial
cells are not cleared up. Therefore, they will lead to continuous immune
inflammatory response and cause renal damage persistently.
Therefore, in term of the underlying causes of Lupus Nephritis above, the key
in the treatment of Lupus Nephritis is to remove the immune complexes and then
regulate their immune system. If these two goals can be achieved, the further
renal damage will be inhibited and also prevent the relapse of the disease.