Management for kidney disease in SLE

Management for kidney disease in SLE depends on the histological classification and disease severity. Immunomodulatory drugs are usually required for lupus nephritis (eg high-dose systemic corticosteroids, plus either mycophenolate or cyclophosphamide). Other immunomodulatory drugs that may be used include azathioprine, rituximab, belimumab, ciclosporin and tacrolimus—see Other immunomodulatory drugs for SLE for details.

If a patient has kidney damage secondary to lupus nephritis, optimal management of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia improves renal outcomesFanouriakis, 2020. For more information about optimal management of blood pressure, see Hypertension and blood pressure reduction, and for consideration of lipid-lowering therapy, see Lipid modification in the Cardiovascular guidelines.