New Guidelines for Lupus Kidney Disease

New expert guidelines should help doctors treating people with lupus kidney disease. Systemic lupus erythematosus is caused by the immune system attacking the body. It often attacks the joints and skin. But other organs also can be damaged. In about 60% of people with lupus, the disease attacks the kidneys. This is called lupus nephritis. If tests show kidney involvement, the next step is a kidney biopsy, the guidelines say. A biopsy shows the pattern of kidney damage and helps to guide treatment. Everyone with lupus kidney damage should take a drug called hydroxycholoquine, the guidelines say. Someone who has protein in the urine also should take an ACE inhibitor or an angiotension receptor blocker. These drugs help to protect the kidneys. Other drugs also are used in more serious cases. Experts told HealthDay News that people with lupus also should follow a healthy lifestyle.