Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Inflammation in areas of fibrosis precedes loss of kidney function in lupus nephritis
Authors' conclusion
I-IFTA is frequently observed in LN and is dominated by macrophages and T cells. For patients with baseline IFTA >25%, the degree of i-IFTA emerged as a predictor of GFR loss.
Study context
- Population
- Lupus nephritis (LN) kidney biopsies
- Participants
- 124 LN kidney biopsies
- Exposure
- i-IFTA grades 0, 1, 2 and 3 in patients with moderate-to-severe interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA)
- Outcome
- Significant GFR loss (decline of >15 mL/min)
- Follow-up
- 3 years from biopsy
Methodological detailskidney biopsy study, serial immunohistochemistry (13-plex)
- Kidney biopsy study
- Serial immunohistochemistry (13-plex)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Significant GFR loss (decline >15 mL/min) by i-IFTA grade, patients with IFTA >25%
P = 0.015
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Prevalence of IFTA and i-IFTA
- IFTA observed in biopsies
- 88/124 (71%)
- i-IFTA among IFTA cases
- 76/88 (86%)
- Distribution of i-IFTA grades heterogeneous across all IFTA grades
Immune cell composition of i-IFTA
- Mostly CD163+ macrophages and CD4 T cells, followed by CD8 T cells and granulocytes
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Inflammation in areas of fibrosis precedes loss of kidney function in lupus nephritis. Lupus Sci Med. Published 28 November 2025. doi:10.
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