A case of recurrent lupus nephritis after renal transplantation

A case of recurrent lupus nephritis in an 18-year-old girl with a renal transplant is described. Serological titer of ANA and Anti-DNA were low prior to renal transplantation following pulse therapy with methylpredonisolone and high dose oral predonisolone. A living related transplantation was performed after 6 months of hemodialysis. Maintenance immunosuppressive therapy consisted of predonisolone, mizoribine and cyclophosphamide. Graft function remained stable for one and half years after transplantation. Clinical recurrence was heralded by the development of proteinuria. If the serologic activities had been analyzed, the increase in ANA and Anti-DNA titers a few months before the onset of proteinuria might have predicted a possible histopathological recurrence. Fortunately, however, despite the histological and clinical recurrence of systemic lupus erythematosus, her renal allograft has continued to function fairly well.