35 years
As an sle patient what can be done to avoid renal failure
Aug 22, 2014
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an auto-immune disorder which can involve several parts of the bodies, and sometimes it can involve the kidneys. Occasionally kidney involvement may eventually lead to renal failure. There has been important advances in diagnosing and treating this condition in recent years.
It is very important for an SLE patient to follow with his/her physician, usually a rheumatologist, who is specialized in these kinds of disorders. It is important to monitor regularly for kidney involvement, which usually involves blood tests of renal function such as creatinine, and urinary studies to see if there is protein or red blood cells in the urine, which may be indicative of the presence of kidney involvement.
Upon suspicion of kidney involvement in a patient with SLE, a kidney biopsy is performed to know exactly what is the kind of kidney disease is present, because SLE can affects the kidneys in many ways. And it is necessary to know exactly what is the type of kidney disease, in order to guide therapy.
Treatment will depend on the results of the kidney biopsy, and treatment may involve immunosuppressive therapy such cortisone or other medications.
Other ways to help prevent renal failure in an SLE patient, is very good attention to blood pressure, and controlling the blood pressure with medication if necessary.
It is very important then for any SLE patient for follow regularly with the rheumatologist, who will guide you on how to screen and monitor disease activity, and if any kind of kidney involvement is present, to follow regularly with a Nephrologist, who will give the proper treatment, based on a kidney biopsy, to prevent long-term damage to the kidneys, and avoid renal failure.
It is very important for an SLE patient to follow with his/her physician, usually a rheumatologist, who is specialized in these kinds of disorders. It is important to monitor regularly for kidney involvement, which usually involves blood tests of renal function such as creatinine, and urinary studies to see if there is protein or red blood cells in the urine, which may be indicative of the presence of kidney involvement.
Upon suspicion of kidney involvement in a patient with SLE, a kidney biopsy is performed to know exactly what is the kind of kidney disease is present, because SLE can affects the kidneys in many ways. And it is necessary to know exactly what is the type of kidney disease, in order to guide therapy.
Treatment will depend on the results of the kidney biopsy, and treatment may involve immunosuppressive therapy such cortisone or other medications.
Other ways to help prevent renal failure in an SLE patient, is very good attention to blood pressure, and controlling the blood pressure with medication if necessary.
It is very important then for any SLE patient for follow regularly with the rheumatologist, who will guide you on how to screen and monitor disease activity, and if any kind of kidney involvement is present, to follow regularly with a Nephrologist, who will give the proper treatment, based on a kidney biopsy, to prevent long-term damage to the kidneys, and avoid renal failure.
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