Kidney transplants safe for lupus patients: Study

The new study, being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, California, thus contradicts previous studies on the subject.

The latest findings indicate that having lupus should not be a deterrent for kidney patients, and that they should seek a kidney transplant without the fear of development of lupus nephritis in their new allograft.

“Our findings indicate that having lupus should not keep individuals from seeking a kidney transplant if they need one,” said lead investigator Gabriel Contreras, MD, MPH, an associate professor of Medicine at the University of Miami.

Study finds negligible RLN in lupus patients
For the purpose of the study, the researchers examined 6,850 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The data of patients was culled out from the database of United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). All the participants had a history of lupus and had received kidney allograft between 1987 and 2006.

The study established that recurrent lupus nephritis (RLN) was rare in SLE recipients of a kidney allograft.

The study found that RLN developed in only 2.4 percent of the patients. The occurrence of RLN was, however, associated with a four-fold heightened relative risk of kidney transplant failure. The graft loss, attributable to RLN, was a mere 7 percent though.

During the study that spanned a period of 19 years, 12.7 percent of patients passed away. Out of the total patients that expired, only 0.4 percent belonged to the group that developed RLN in their new kidney.

RLN development predictable
The study also established that the development of RLN could be calculated fairly by taking into account race, ethnicity, sex, and age of the patient.

Analysis of the findings revealed that African-Americans, women, and patients less than 33 years of age were more susceptible to the development of RLN in their transplanted kidney.

Meanwhile, receiving a kidney transplant before or after starting dialysis did not affect patients' risk, suggests the study. The type of kidney transplant, deceased vis-à-vis living donor was also immaterial when it came to calculating the recipient’s risk of developing lupus nephritis.

Lupus nephritis is an inflammation of the kidney caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a disease of the immune system. SLE can cause damage to the skin, joints, kidneys, and brain.