Glomerular C4d Staining Can Be an Indicator of Disease Activity in Lupus Nephritis

Figures & data

Table 1.  Clinical and pathological data of the patients at the time of renal biopsy according to the C4d staining.

	C4d+ (N = 14)	C4d– (N = 10)	p Value
Age (year)	37.57 ± 12.53	41.80 ± 11.44	0.437*
Gender female (%)	11 (78.6%)	8 (80%)	0.668**
Hypertension (%)	7 (50%)	6 (60%)	0.473**
Urinary protein excretion (g/day)	5.43 ± 3.45	1.21 ± 0.89	0.0001*
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)	1.57 ± 1.19	1.36 ± 0.83	0.841*
eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	65.42 ± 41.02	72.0 ± 33.69	0.841*
Class 2	−	1 (10%)	0.290**
Class 3	3 (21.4%)	5 (50%)
Class 4	9 (64.3%)	3 (30%)
Class 5	1 (7.1%)	–
Class 6	1 (7.1%)	1 (10%)
Evolution to ESRD in the follow-up (%)	4 (28.6%)	–	0.064

Note: *Mann–Whitney U test, **chi-square test.

Table 2.  The correlation between glomerular C4d, lupus nephritis activity index, and proteinuria at the time of renal biopsy.

	Patients (n)	C4d+	R	p*
Activity index (≥12)	13	10	0.410	0.047
Proteinuria (nephrotic)	12	10	0.676	0.0001

Note: *Spearman’s rank correlation.

Table 3.  Clinical and pathological data of the patients at the time of renal biopsy according to the evolution to ESRD.

	ESRD evolution	No ESRD evolution	Total	p Value
N	4	20	24
Age (year)	35.25	40.15	39.33	0.682*
Gender female	2 (50%)	17 (85%)	19 (79.2%)	0.116**
Serum creatinine (mg/dL)	5.94	1.22	1.48	0.023*
eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m^2)	9.75	75.05	68.16	0.029*
Hypertension	1 (25%)	10 (50%)	11 (45.8%)	0.363**
Urinary protein excretion (g/day)	6.39	3.13	3.67	0.056*
C4d staining	4 (100%)	10 (50%)	14	0.064**

Note: *Mann–Whitney U test, **chi-square test.