AJKD Atlas of Renal Pathology: Focal and Diffuse Lupus Nephritis (ISN/RPS Class III and IV)

Lupus nephritis (LN) is defined as glomerular immune complex disease that occurs in patients who meet American College of Rheumatology for diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SLE is a systemic autoimmune disease, most commonly involving the skin, kidneys, joints, heart, and serosal surfaces. Women are affected more than men (9:1), and SLE is more common in African Americans. Onset usually is from teenage years to the third decade of life, but SLE may manifest at any age. Kidney involvement is a major cause of morbidity and the most common cause of death in SLE patients.

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