Lupus & antiphospholipid syndrome
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is associated with intrarenal chronicity features on diagnostic and repeat kidney biopsies in lupus nephritis
Authors' conclusion
Serum suPAR levels were elevated in active LN and, despite a decline, after 12 months of treatment compared with healthy individuals. suPAR levels correlated with intrarenal chronicity and predicted post-treatment glomerular sclerosis and tubular atrophy
Study context
- Population
- Patients with lupus nephritis (LN) with diagnostic and 12-month repeat kidney biopsies19 incident LN
- Participants
- 23 vs 15
- Exposure
- Serum suPAR in LN vs healthy controls; correlation with NIH activity index (AI) and CI
- LNn = 23
- Healthy controlsn = 15reference
- Outcome
- Association of serum suPAR with histological activity (NIH AI) and chronicity (NIH CI) in diagnostic and repeat kidney biopsies
- Follow-up
- Baseline and 12 months
Methodological detailsage- and sex-matched healthy controls, repeat kidney biopsies at 12 months, Spearman's rank correlation
- Age- and sex-matched healthy controls
- Repeat kidney biopsies at 12 months
- Spearman's rank correlation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Serum suPAR and correlation with NIH AI and CI
| Group | Value | suPAR at month 12 |
|---|---|---|
| LN | 5.37 ± 0.93 ng/mL | 3.77±0.94 ng/mL |
| Healthy controls | 2.64 ± 0.97 ng/mL |
Value
LN5.37 ± 0.93 ng/mL
Healthy controls2.64 ± 0.97 ng/mL
suPAR at month 12
LN3.77±0.94 ng/mL
Healthy controls— not stated in the abstract
- LN vs Healthy controls: P < 0.001 — active LN vs controls
- LN vs Healthy controls: P < 0.001 — month 12, remained elevated vs controls
- LN vs Healthy controls: P = 0.005 — decrease baseline to month 12
- Baseline suPAR vs baseline AI, rho
- 0.202; p=0.368
- Baseline suPAR vs month-12 AI, rho
- 0.332; p=0.165
- Month-12 suPAR vs month-12 AI, rho
- 0.595; p=0.007
- Baseline suPAR vs baseline CI, rho
- 0.541; p=0.008
- Baseline suPAR vs month-12 CI, rho
- 0.554; p=0.017
- Month-12 suPAR vs month-12 CI, rho (trend)
- 0.440; p=0.066
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
suPAR correlation with chronicity components
- Baseline suPAR vs baseline interstitial fibrosis, rho
- 0.422; p=0.044
- Baseline suPAR predicting month-12 glomerular sclerosis, rho
- 0.580; p=0.011
- Baseline suPAR predicting month-12 tubular atrophy, rho
- 0.477; p=0.045
- Month-12 suPAR vs month-12 glomerular sclerosis, rho
- 0.572; p=0.013
Original publication
Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is associated with intrarenal chronicity features on diagnostic and repeat kidney biopsies in lupus nephritis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. Published 20 June 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →