Dialysis and transplantation in patients with renal failure due to systemic lupus erythematosus. The Australian and New Zealand experience.

Between 1977 and 1985, 5726 patients in Australia and New Zealand entered end stage renal failure programmes. Of these, 63 patients had renal failure due to systemic lupus erythematosus (a prevalence of 1.1% of patients entering renal replacement programmes). When compared with patients with other forms of glomerulonephritis, there was a female preponderance and a younger age distribution in patients with renal failure due to lupus nephritis. Integrated patient, dialysis, and transplant survival data showed that results in patients with renal failure due to lupus nephritis were comparable with those in patients with other forms of glomerulonephritis or in patients with renal failure due to any cause. Age at entry significantly affected survival, with significant differences being found in those patients under as opposed to over 50 years of age. Causes of death in patients with lupus nephritis were similar to those in patients with renal failure due to other causes. It is concluded that dialysis and transplantation are acceptable forms of treatment for patients with end stage renal failure due to systemic lupus erythematosus.