The Outcome of Lupus Nephritis in Jamaican Patients

We investigated the outcome of a cohort of black Jamaican patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with nephritis. In 66 patients, 0 (0%), 15 (23%), 4 (6%), 32 (48%), 6 (9%), and 3 (5%) had classes 1, II, III, IV, V, and VI, respectively. Six (9%) had interstitial nephritis. The patients were placed in 2 groups for comparison. Group 1 (n = 36) consisted of classes III and IV and group 2 (n = 27), classes II and V, and interstitial nephritis. The patients in group 1 had significantly lower hemoglobin, higher mean serum creatinine, higher prevalence of hypertension, and chronicity scores. The duration of follow-up was similar between the 2 groups. The percent events free for ESRD or death at 1 year was 80.1% for group 1 and 77.4% for group 2; 2 years, 69.0% for group 1 and 77.4% group 2; 5 years, 69.0% for group 1 and 57.4% for group 2. The percent events free for death at 1 year was 93.4% in group 1 and 90.9% in group 2; at 2 years, 86.7% for group 1 and 90, 9% for group 2; and at 5 years was 86.7% for group 1 and 67.3% (29.5 to 88.0) for group 2. Sixteen patients (25.4%) developed ESRD or died. Prognosis was not different between the groups for ESRD or death (P = 0.22) or death alone (P = 0.63).