Patients With Lupus Have Increased Risk of CKD, Mortality

THURSDAY, June 25, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) without lupus nephritis (LN) have increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and mortality, according to a study published online June 16 in Rheumatology.

Iftach Sagy, M.D., Ph.D., from Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined the development of CKD among newly diagnosed patients with SLE who have preserved kidney function and no evidence of concomitant LN at baseline compared with age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched non-SLE controls.

A total of 1,145 patients with SLE and 91,681 matched controls were included in the study and followed for a median of 5.77 years. Baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was similar (103 versus 104 mL/min/1.73 m²). The researchers found that SLE was associated with increased risks of CKD, end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), major adverse cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality (hazard ratios, 1.96, 3.13, 1.63, and 4.52, respectively). The groups had similar mean eGFR trajectories. The strongest risk factors for CKD and ESKD were diabetes and hypertension (hazard ratios, 1.51 and 2.72, respectively).

“Our findings suggest that, in a large national cohort of patients with SLE and preserved renal function who did not have LN, there was an increased risk of adverse kidney outcomes, cardiovascular morbidity, and mortality,” the authors write. “The clinical implications of this analysis for both rheumatologists and general practitioners include the need for early recognition and timely referral of patients with SLE, particularly in the era of emerging CKD treatment options.”

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)