Value of Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin versus Conventional Biomarkers in Predicting Response to Treatment of Active Lupus Nephritis

Table 1

Patients’ characteristics and laboratory results.

Variable	No. (%) or mean/SD
Female	35 (87.5%)
Age (years)	25.63 ± 4.26
Duration of SLE (months)	37 ± 29.5
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	130.00 ± 11.98
Diastolic blood pressure (mmHg)	75.00 ± 9.94
SLEDAI score	19.55 ± 4.70
rSLEDAI score	14.20 ± 3.13
Systemic organ involvement
Nephritis only	8 (20.0%)
Arthritis	11 (27.5%)
Cutaneous lupus	11 (27.5%)
Serositis	11 (27.5%)
Hematological involvement	9 (22.5%)
Carditis	4 (10%)
Vasculitis	2 (5%)
Neurological lupus	2 (5%)
ISN/RPS class
III	5 (12.5%)
IV	18 (45.0%)
V	4 (10.0%)
III + V	4 (10.0%)
IV + V	9 (22.5%)
Activity index in renal biopsy	7.53 ± 1.55
Chronicity index in renal biopsy	4.75 ± 1.21
Immunosuppressive agents
IV cyclophosphamide	25 (62.5%)
Mycophenolate mofetil	15 (37.5%)
Laboratory results
Serum albumin	2.56 ± 0.37 g/dL
Hemoglobin	9.89 ± 1.46 gm/dL
BUN	46.53 ± 8.86 mg/dL
Creatinine	2.57 ± 0.96 mg/dL
eGFR	41.63 ± 26.02 mL/min/1.73 m^2
Complement component 3 (C3)	63.90 ± 19.65 mg/dL
Complement component 4 (C4)	16.75 ± 4.53 mg/dL
Pr/Cr ratio	2.89 ± 1.39 mg/mg
UNGAL	33.50 ± 18.34 ng/mL

SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus; SLEDAI, SLE disease activity index; rSLEDAI, renal SLE disease activity index; ISN/RPS, International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society; IV, intravenous; eGFR, estimated glomerular filtration rate; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; C3, complement component 3; C4, complement component 4; Pr/Cr ratio, protein-to-creatinine ratio; UNGAL, urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin.