Tool Helps Physicians Determine Outcomes and Predict Treatment Response in People with Lupus Nephritis

Using a clinical tool to chart urine analysis results in people with lupus nephritis (LN) (kidney disease) can help determine their clinical outcomes and predict who will best respond to initial treatment. In ongoing research from Lupus Foundation of America Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Awardee Ellen Cody, higher Renal Activity Index for Lupus (RAIL) scores reflect greater kidney inflammation. Scores can also predict responders versus non-responders during initial course of treatment.

Researchers collected the urine of people with lupus, both with and without LN, noting development of any clinical outcomes, such as kidney inflammation or flares. RAIL scores were also compared to two other tools to determine significance.

“Kidney disease continues to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with SLE. Our current ways to detect kidney damage are invasive and often reactive. Our work looks to noninvasively detect damage and predict responses to treatment in a more timely and efficient manner, which will hopefully allow us to decrease the health burden of lupus nephritis” shared Dr. Ellen Cody lead study author and Gary S. Gilkeson Career Development Awardee with the Lupus Foundation of America.

A kidney biopsy is typically performed to check for inflammation and kidney tissue scarring. Nonaggressive therapies to assess an individual’s response to LN therapy is currently missing. Cody’s work helps better understand how less invasive biomarker tools may help improve diagnosis and monitoring of people with LN without requiring aggressive kidney biopsies. Learn more about Cody and her research efforts.