Lupus nephritis--light, electron and immunofluorescent microscopy (a clinicopathological study)

Kidney biopsy specimens from nine patients of systemic lupus erythematosus were studied for the purpose of correlating the findings of light and electron microscopy and immunofluorescent studies with the kidney functions and the presence of proteinuria. Morphologically, three were mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis, three mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis and one membranous nephropathy. Subendothelial deposits were observed in eight cases, subepithelial deposits in seven cases and mesangial deposits in eight cases. Four cases with massive subendothelial deposits had massive proteinuria and decrease in renal functions. Most of the patients with mild subendothelial deposits were considered to be useful in assessing the prognosis and severity of lupus nephropathy, in addition to the morphologic types of lesions, as mesangial pattern had shown insignificant proteinuria. Study of semithin sections by light microscopy could demonstrate the deposits which were observed on electron microscopy and immuno-fluorescent microscopy.