How to Treatment of Lupus Nephritis

Lupus Nephritis is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease of the immune system. SLE typically causes harm to the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is an autoimmune disease. This means there is a problem with the body's immune system. Normally, the immune system helps protect the body from harmful substances. But in patients with an autoimmune disease, the immune system cannot tell the difference between harmful substances and healthy ones. As a result, the immune system attacks otherwise healthy cells and tissue. SLE may damage different parts of the kidney, leading to interstitial nephritisinterstitial nephritis, nephritic syndromenephrotic syndrome, and membranous GNmembranous GN. It may reapidly worsen to kidney failure. Lupus nephritis affects approximately 3 out of every 10,000 people. In children with SLE, about half will have some form or degree of kidney involvement. More than half of patients have not had other symptoms of SLE when they are diagnosed with lupus nephritis. SLE is most common in women ages 20 - 40.At present, there exist a variety of treatment methods of Lupus Nephritis in medicine community. Then which is better? Which is the right one for you? Now let’s scan some commonly used methods, aiming to help you choose the best one.
Traditionally, treatment depends on the symptoms of Lupus Nephritis. Medicines having the function of decreasing swelling, lowering blood pressure and decreasing inflammation are frequently used. Sometimes drugs to prevent blood clots are also prescribed. However, some medicine, say corticosteroids, can cause various side effects including fluid retention, moodiness, loss of mineral from the bones and cataracts. Hence, they must be monitored carefully.
Patients with high creatinine may be recommended to start dialysis by their doctors. This is because dialysis, as a way of removing metabolic waste and excess water from the blood, could generally replace function of the kidneys and thus lessening their damage. But dialysis also has its disadvantages. It cannot produce the indispensable hormone as a kidney does. And it has some side effects, such as stomachache, vomit, cramps and infection in particular. What’s more, it is time-wasting. Hemodialysis usually lasts four hours once and three times per week. As to peritoneal dialysis, it takes relatively less time, but it must be performed every day.
As the kidneys decline to end stage renal failure, patients suffering from Lupus Nephritis may choose kidney transplantation. If the surgery is successful, the kidney will come into play in the patient’s body. But they will need drugs to suppress the body’s immune system to avoid having the transplant kidney rejected.