Intraendothelial Inclusions in Kidneys of Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Abstract

Recent renal biopsy material was reviewed to determine the relationship between intraendothelial virus-like structures and a diagnosis of lupus erythematosus, to establish the specificity of this association, and to assess the relationship between the presence of these structures and the appearance of selected clinical phenomena. The virus-like structures were present in 30 of 34 (88%) biopsy specimens from patients with proved lupus erythematosus and clinical evidence of renal involvement; identical inclusions were seen in 8 of 190 (4%) specimens from patients with other types of renal disease. There was no relationship between the presence of these structures and the type or severity of renal histological changes or the pattern of immunofluorescent staining. Clinically, the presence of virus-like structures was not related to the degree of renal functional impairment, the presence of the nephrotic syndrome, or prior administration of steroids. The high prevalence of intraendothelial virus-like structures in lupus erythematosus lends diagnostic value to their detection in patients with a suspected diagnosis of lupus erythematosus.