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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?><merged xmlns:dita-ot="http://dita-ot.sourceforge.net/ns/201007/dita-ot" id="GUID-4f1db2d9-c0a7-4820-85ea-130fca81aeba-en" xml:lang="en" xtrf="file:/mnt/crx/author/crx-quickstart/profiles/ditamaps/ditamap11783068141737681696/hecs-ccms/en/HIL/conditions/j-l/lupus-nephritis/lupus-nephritis.ditamap"> <displayTitle>Lupus nephritis</displayTitle> <featureTitle/> <listTitle/> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Overview" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:SFxDuvmviyeTc9JG6NqMPY:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>overview lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-overview">Overview</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <p product="mayoclinic.org"> <xref href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/about-this-site/meet-our-medical-editors" keyref="attrib-mayo-clinic-staff-link" scope="external">By Mayo Clinic Staff</xref> </p> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>Lupus nephritis is a problem that occurs often in people who have systemic lupus erythematosus, also called lupus.</p> <p>Lupus is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks its own cells and organs, called autoimmune disease. Lupus causes the immune system to make proteins called autoantibodies. These proteins attack tissues and organs in the body, including the kidneys.</p> <p>Lupus nephritis occurs when lupus autoantibodies affect parts of the kidneys that filter out waste. This causes swelling and irritation of the kidneys, called inflammation. It might lead to blood in the urine, protein in the urine, high blood pressure, kidneys that don't work well or even kidney failure.</p> <fig> <title>Kidney cross section</title> <desc> <p>The kidneys remove waste and extra fluid from the blood through filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron contains a filter, called a glomerulus. Each filter has tiny blood vessels called capillaries. When blood flows into a glomerulus, bits — called molecules — of water, minerals, nutrients, and waste pass through the capillary walls. Large molecules, such as proteins and red blood cells, stay in the blood. The filtered molecules then pass into another part of the nephron called the tubule. The water, nutrients and minerals the body needs are sent back to the bloodstream. The extra water and waste become urine that flows to the bladder and is passed out of the body.</p> </desc> <image href="https://assets.mayoclinic.org/content/dam/hecs-ccms/global/images/hil-ccgs/DS00280-DS00360-DS00503-DS00682-DS00856-DS01047-IM00767-r7-kidneysectionthu-2-en.jpg" placement="inline"> <alt>Inside a kidney</alt> </image> </fig> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Symptoms" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:XZC5eJs776bfU5P1ZziNy8:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>symptoms lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-symptoms">Symptoms</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>Signs and symptoms of lupus nephritis include:</p> <ul> <li>Blood in the urine.</li> <li>Urine that foams because of too much protein.</li> <li>High blood pressure.</li> <li>Swelling in the legs, ankles or feet and sometimes in the hands and face.</li> <li>High levels of a waste product called creatinine in the blood.</li> </ul> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Causes" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:QRUasGwTCCTBpYmTif1E9F:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>causes lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-causes">Causes</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>As many as half of adults with systemic lupus get lupus nephritis. Systemic lupus causes the body's immune system to damage the kidneys. Then the kidneys can't filter out waste as they should.</p> <multimedia contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/VideoProxy" outputclass="inline" policy="" product="mayoclinic.org" reviewedOn="" workId="did:mcid:9hEx6MXoKJcSBN1BSBgDmJ:2026-04-08" xml:lang="en"> <title>kidney disease how kidneys work</title> <titlealts> <titleCustom>Kidney Disease: How kidneys work, Hemodialysis, and Peritoneal dialysis</titleCustom> </titlealts> <hecsMultimediaBody> <caption/> <transcript/> <stream> <duration/> <kalturaId>1_tmvufeii</kalturaId> <videoFormat>kaltura</videoFormat> <videoReference/> <isPlaylist>true</isPlaylist> </stream> </hecsMultimediaBody> </multimedia> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/RiskFactors" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:CNDxqCK99EZa3ZqfjwMnfK:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>risk factors lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-risk-factors">Risk factors</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>The only known risk factors for lupus nephritis are:</p> <ul> <li> <b>Being male.</b> Women are more likely to get lupus, but men get lupus nephritis more than women do.</li> <li> <b>Race or ethnicity.</b> Black people, Hispanic people and Asian Americans are more likely to have lupus nephritis than are whites.</li> </ul> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Complications" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:XiipjTi4rN8Nbhs2C9xbtf:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>complications lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-complications">Complications</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>Lupus nephritis can cause:</p> <ul> <li>Hypertension.</li> <li>Kidney failure.</li> <li>A higher risk of getting cancer, especially one that starts in the cells of the immune system, called B-cell lymphoma.</li> <li>A higher risk of heart and blood vessel problems.</li> </ul> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Diagnosis" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:EitKT52cwFoXh9X1VEcyH2:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>diagnosis lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-diagnosis">Diagnosis</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>Tests to diagnose lupus nephritis include:</p> <ul> <li> <b>Blood and urine tests.</b> Besides the usual blood and urine tests, urine collected over 24 hours might be tested. These tests measure how well the kidneys are working.</li> <li> <b>Kidney biopsy.</b> A small section of kidney tissue is removed and sent to a lab. This test diagnoses lupus nephritis. It also can help show how bad the disease is. There can be more than one biopsy over time.</li> </ul> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Treatment" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:DbS82DFeiEvGotoMLy2cYg:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>treatment lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-treatment">Treatment</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <conbodydiv platform="richtext"> <section> <p>There's no cure for lupus nephritis. Treatment aims to:</p> <ul> <li>Reduce symptoms or make symptoms go away, called remission.</li> <li>Keep the disease from getting worse.</li> <li>Keep symptoms from coming back.</li> <li>Keep kidneys working well enough to not need a machine to filter waste from blood, called dialysis, or a kidney transplant.</li> </ul> </section> <section> <title>Supportive treatments</title> <p>In general, these treatments might help people with kidney disease:</p> <ul> <li> <b>Diet changes.</b> Limiting the amount of protein and salt in the diet can help the kidneys work better.</li> <li> <b>Blood pressure medicines.</b> Medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) can help control blood pressure. These medicines also keep protein from leaking from the kidneys into the urine. Medicines called diuretics help get rid of fluid.</li> </ul> </section> <section> <title>Medicines</title> <p>Treating severe lupus nephritis might need medicines that slow or stop the immune system from attacking healthy cells. Medicines often are used together. Sometimes certain medicines used at first are switched to prevent toxic effects.</p> <p>Medicines to treat lupus nephritis might include:</p> <ul> <li>Steroids, such as prednisone (Rayos).</li> <li>Cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune).</li> <li>Voclosporin (Lupkynis).</li> <li>Tacrolimus (Astagraf, Envarsus, Prograf).</li> <li>Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan).</li> <li>Azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran).</li> <li>Mycophenolate (CellCept).</li> <li>Rituximab (Rituxan).</li> <li>Belimumab (Benlysta).</li> </ul> <p>Ongoing clinical trials are testing new treatments for lupus nephritis.</p> </section> <section> <title>Treatment options for kidney failure</title> <p>For people who progress to kidney failure, treatment options include:</p> <ul> <li> <b>Dialysis.</b> Dialysis helps remove fluid and waste from the body, maintain the right balance of minerals in the blood, and manage blood pressure by filtering the blood through a machine.</li> <li> <b>Kidney transplant.</b> If kidneys stop working, a kidney from a donor, called a transplant, might be needed.</li> </ul> </section> </conbodydiv> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsReference contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/References" policy="did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc;did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB" reviewedOn="2024-03-28T05:00:00.000-05:00" workId="did:mcid:AbJapKQcYEHiD8fDYiquZD:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>references lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-references">References</titleSimple> </titlealts> <prolog> <footnotes> <fn>Lupus and kidney disease (Lupus nephritis). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/lupus-nephritis. Accessed April 17, 2023.</fn> <fn>AskMayoExpert. Lupus nephritis. Mayo Clinic; 2021.</fn> <fn>Bomback AS, et al. Lupus nephritis: Diagnosis and classification. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 17, 2023.</fn> <fn>Davidson A, et al. Lupus nephritis: Challenges and progress. Current Opinion in Rheumatology. 2019; doi:10.1097/BOR.0000000000000642.</fn> <fn>Falk RJ, et al. Lupus nephritis: Initial and subsequent therapy for focal or diffuse lupus nephritis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed April 17, 2023.</fn> <fn>Gasparotto M, et al. Lupus nephritis: Clinical presentations and outcomes in the 21st century. Rheumatology. 2020; doi:10.1093/rheumatology/keaa381.</fn> <fn>Ami T. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 3, 2023.</fn> <fn>Ami T. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 3, 2023.</fn> <fn>Mejia-Vilet JM, et al. The lupus nephritis management renaissance. Kidney International. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.kint.2021.09.012.</fn> </footnotes> </prolog> </hecsReference> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/Research" policy="" reviewedOn="" workId="did:mcid:JQnh6CV1XDWDTH7J6hFS6P:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>research lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-research">Research</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <p>Mayo Clinic experts are actively researching lupus and testing new treatments for lupus nephritis through the <xref href="https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group" keyref="researchOrg-mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group" scope="external">Mayo Nephrology Collaborative Group</xref>. As a Mayo Clinic patient, you may be able to be a part of a clinical trial.</p> <section> <title> <keyword keyref="sectionTitle-publications">Publications</keyword> </title> <p>See a <xref href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=(Lupus+Nephritis%5BMeSH%5D+OR+Lupus+Nephritis%5BALL%5D)+AND+(55901%5BAD%5D+OR+55905%5BAD%5D+OR+32224%5BAD%5D+OR+85054%5BAD%5D+OR+85259%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+Clinic%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+Foundation%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+College%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+Medical%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+School%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+Graduate%5BAD%5D+OR+Mayo+Health%5BAD%5D)" keyref="pubMed-lupus-nephritis" scope="external">list of publications</xref> about lupus nephritis by Mayo Clinic doctors on PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine.</p> </section> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/CareMayoClinic" policy="" reviewedOn="" workId="did:mcid:QzERkhz9Nmga26MKVYa5nQ:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>care at mayo lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleCustom>Lupus nephritis care at Mayo Clinic</titleCustom> </titlealts> <conbody> <section> <title> <keyword keyref="sectionTitle-your-mayo-care-team">Your Mayo Clinic care team</keyword> </title> <p>A team of doctors from different specialties will manage your care, including those who focus on kidney disease (nephrologists). Your Mayo Clinic doctors can work closely with your primary care doctor or kidney specialist to ensure that you're getting the right treatment and follow-up care.</p> <p>Caring for someone with lupus nephritis is challenging and requires specialized expertise. Because there are many kidney specialists (nephrologists) at Mayo Clinic, you can see a kidney doctor who specializes in lupus and cares for people from all over the world with lupus nephritis. Each year, hundreds of people receive care for lupus nephritis at Mayo Clinic.</p> </section> <section> <title>Advanced diagnosis</title> <p>Mayo Clinic nephrologists may use a variety of tests, including blood tests and a 24-hour urine collection, to accurately measure your kidney function. You might have iothalamate clearance testing, which uses a contrast dye to show how well your kidneys are filtering. Mayo Clinic is one of the few centers to specialize in iothalamate clearance testing.</p> <p>Mayo Clinic also has a dedicated <xref href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/laboratory-medicine-pathology/overview/specialty-groups/anatomic-pathology/services/renal-biopsy-laboratory" keyref="org-anatomic-pathology-renal-biopsy-laboratory" scope="external">Renal Biopsy Laboratory</xref>. Each year, thousands of people choose to have their biopsies done at Mayo Clinic by experienced specialists.</p> </section> <section> <title>Individualized treatment</title> <p>Lupus affects everyone differently, and the disease can cause symptoms throughout the body. Your Mayo Clinic care team will tailor your treatment plan to meet your needs and improve your quality of life.</p> </section> <section> <title>Access to the latest therapies</title> <p>Mayo Clinic doctors test new drugs and therapeutic strategies in <xref href="https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group/clinical-trials" keyref="researchOrg-mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group-clinical-trials" scope="external">clinical trials</xref> offered through the <xref href="https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group" keyref="researchOrg-mayo-nephrology-collaborative-group" scope="external">Mayo Nephrology Collaborative Group</xref>.</p> <p>For people who have kidney failure, Mayo Clinic locations offer:</p> <ul> <li> <b>Dialysis.</b> Mayo Clinic offers state-of-the-art dialysis treatment, including the option for in-home dialysis.</li> <li> <b>Kidney transplant.</b> All three Mayo Clinic campuses offer kidney transplants through the <xref href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/kidney-transplant/home/orc-20203197" keyref="org-kidney-transplant-program-home" scope="external">Kidney Transplant Program</xref>. Mayo Clinic has performed more than 17,500 kidney transplants with excellent results.</li> </ul> </section> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <hecsConcept contentType="http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/ExpertiseRanking" policy="" reviewedOn="" workId="did:mcid:Svrbq35UmvZGXeUjt1sas1:2026-10-09" xml:lang="en"> <title>expertise rankings lupus nephritis</title> <titlealts> <titleSimple keyref="titleSimple-expertise-and-rankings">Expertise and rankings</titleSimple> </titlealts> <conbody> <p>Hundreds of people receive treatment for lupus nephritis at Mayo Clinic every year.</p> <p>Learn more about the expertise and rankings of Mayo Clinic's <xref href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/nephrology-hypertension/sections/overview/ovc-20464571" keyref="org-nephrology-hypertension-overview" scope="external">Division of Nephrology and Hypertension</xref>.</p> </conbody> </hecsConcept> <metadata> <hasPoCID>CON-20198837</hasPoCID> <primaryIdentifier>did:mcid:A6vdwRMZ2Fm2AbcRAsSawD:1.23</primaryIdentifier> <workId>did:mcid:Lr2cZf7P5CyEVSmkidyGf9:2026-10-09</workId> <language>en</language> <publicationStatus>Done</publicationStatus> <issuedOn>2007-03-09T00:00:00.000-06:00</issuedOn> <reissuedOn>2025-12-23T00:00:00.000-06:00</reissuedOn> <mapPath>/content/dam/hecs-ccms/en/HIL/conditions/j-l/lupus-nephritis/lupus-nephritis.ditamap</mapPath> <manifestationID>did:mcid:2FMyjRrCepsfNPKmQTFoS6:2026-10-09-0444</manifestationID> <seoDescription>Learn about this common effect of lupus on the kidneys, including symptoms to watch for, how it's diagnosed and what treatments are available.</seoDescription> <seoUrlKeyword>lupus-nephritis</seoUrlKeyword> <policy>did:mcid:7AmKpSty59qW9PRkXPDxNB;did:mcid:PDkv3FCzsA4FPiHVvT1zRc</policy> <reviewedOn>2025-12-23T00:00:00.000-06:00</reviewedOn> <contentType>http://ontology.mayo.edu/ContentCategories/GeneralAudienceConditionGuide</contentType> <seoTitle/> <hideAppointmentButton>false</hideAppointmentButton> <hideThirdPartyAds>false</hideThirdPartyAds> <index>true</index> </metadata> </merged>