Significance of co-positivity for anti-dsDNA, -nucleosome, and -histone antibodies in patients with lupus nephritis

Abstract

Objective The aim of this study was to define the clinical, histopathologic, and prognostic features associated with simultaneous positivity for anti-dsDNA, -nucleosome, and -histone antibodies (3-pos) in Korean patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis (LN). Methods The 102 patients included in the study had undergone kidney biopsy prior to the start of induction treatment, were treated with immunosuppressives, and followed-up for >12 months. Results In total, 44 (43.1%) of the 102 LN patients were 3-pos. Patients with 3-pos had a higher SLEDAI-2K score (p = .002), lower lymphocyte count (p = .004), and higher rates of proteinuria > 3.5 g/24 h (p = .039) and positivity for urinary sediments (p = .005) at the time of renal biopsy than non-3-pos patients. 3-pos patients had a more proliferative form of LN (p = .045) in the renal histopathologic findings, and as co-positivity gradually increased from 0 to 3, the total activity score in the renal biopsy findings increased significantly (p = .033). In addition, 3-pos patients had a more rapid eGFR decline than non-3-pos patients after a follow-up of 83.2 months (p = .016). Conclusions Our findings suggest that 3-pos is related to severe LN and that 3-pos patients are more likely to experience a rapid decline of renal function than non-3-pos patients. KEY MESSAGE Patients with co-positivity for anti-dsDNA, -nucleosome, and -histone antibodies (3-pos) had higher disease activity and a worse renal histopathology than those without co-positivity. 3-pos patients had a more rapid decline of renal function than non-3-pos patients.