General principles in the treatment of lupus nephritis with the prevention of cardiovascular events

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, which is characterized by the hyperproduction of organ-nonspecific autoantibodies to various components of the cell nucleus with the development of immunoinflammatory tissue and visceral damages. Kidney damage is one of the most common severe manifestations of SLE, which develops in 40–80% of patients and, in 15–20% of them, progresses to end-stage renal failure. A renal biopsy is recommended for all patients with lupus nephritis (LN) when choosing a successful treatment policy added by immunosuppressive therapy.

The paper presents treatments for LN according to its morphological class with a dosage detailed description, a route of administration, and the duration of intake of different drug groups in the induction and maintenance phases of treatment, as well as the specific features of therapy for refractory LN. Taking into account that patients with SLE in general and those with LN in particular have an increased rate of cardiovascular events, the authors have proposed exposures to traditional and specific risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

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