[Proliferative mesangial lupus nephritis: description of a cohort of 27 patients]

To describe our cohort of 27 biopsy-proven patients and their long-term follow-up, with special attention to prognostic factors.

Twenty seven patients were retrospectively collected. They were controlled in the Internal Medicine Department of the Bellvitge's Hospital (Spain) between 1974 and 2010. Evaluation was performed at one, 3 and 5 year follow-up.

There were 22 women (81.5%). Mean age at onset of nephritis was 34.83 years (SD 13.45). Partial or complete remission was achieved by 21 patients (80.77%) in the one-year follow-up, 22 patients (84.61%) in the third-year follow-up and 21 patients (77.77%) in the fifth-year follow-up. A change in the histology class was diagnosed in 4 patients. Seven patients suffered flares of nephritis. Seven patients died in the long term follow-up, 3 out of this 7 died because of systemic erythematosus lupus.

Nephritis onset beyond 45 years old is the factor mostly related with a poor prognosis. That is the reason why we recommend co-therapy with immunosuppressors from the beginning in such patients.