Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics that distinguish chronic histopathologic lesion of antiphospholipid antibody associated nephropathy (APLN) from lupus nephritis. Methods Data of 196 cases of lupus nephritis admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital was investigated by retrospective analysis. 39 cases of lupus nephritis with chronic APLN were enrolled into the study group. The control group was composed of 119 cases of lupus nephritis without antiphospholipid antibody (APL) and APLN. Other 38 cases had negative APL and chronic lesion of APLN-like renal lesions. Results The blood pressure and the serum creatinine levels at biopsy and two years later in the study group and the control group were 138±29/85±19vs96±17mmHg, 99±39vs91±42μmol/L and 93±26vs80±18μmol/L, respectively. Estimated GFR (eGFR) at biopsy was 72.7±30.0vs87.8±24.0ml/min?1.73m2. The blood pressure including systolic, mean arterial pressure and the eGFR at biopsy was significantly higher in the study group compared with the control group. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA showed the serum creatinine levels two years later in the study group decreased obviously less than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Lupus nephritis patients with chronic histopathologic lesion of APLN had higher blood pressure, lower eGFR and relatively poor renal prognosis.

Key words: systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid antibody, antiphoslipid antibody associated nephropathy