Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Dermoscopy Aids in the Diagnosis of Discoid Lupus Erythematosus
Published on: May 16, 2025
Treatment of Class IV Lupus Nephritis with Mycophenolate Mofetil Monotherapy
Takashi Nawata1, Makoto Kubo1, Shohei Fujii1
1Department of Medicine and Clinical Science, Division of Cardiology and Clinical Immunology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Lupus nephritis (LN) occurs in up to 60% of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Combination therapy involving a corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has been a standard therapy for LN. However, clinicians generally prefer to minimize steroid use in LN treatment. We herein report the case of a Japanese man with LN whose severe chronic heart failure prevented us from using steroid therapy. Instead, his LN was successfully treated with MMF monotherapy. Based on our experience with this case, we suggest that MMF monotherapy may represent a feasible LN treatment option in patients who cannot tolerate steroid therapy.
Lupus nephritis (LN) occurs in up to 60% of systemic lupus erythematosus patients. Combination therapy involving a corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) has been a standard therapy for LN. However, clinicians generally prefer to minimize steroid use in LN treatment. We herein report the case of a Japanese man with LN whose severe chronic heart failure prevented us from using steroid therapy. Instead, his LN was successfully treated with MMF monotherapy. Based on our experience with this case, we suggest that MMF monotherapy may represent a feasible LN treatment option in patients who cannot tolerate steroid therapy.
Related Concept Videos
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...
Drug Classes and Categories
Antibody Structure and Classes
The basic structure of an antibody consists of four protein chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. These chains are held together by disulfide bonds and other non-covalent interactions, forming a Y-shaped structure.
Antihypertensive Drugs: Thiazide-Class Diuretics
Pneumonia IV: Management
Bacterial Pneumonia Treatment
For bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics serve as the cornerstone of therapy. Initial treatment often begins with empirical antibiotics, tailored to the anticipated causative organism and adjusted based on culture results. Key antibiotic choices include:
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...

