Changes in macrophage infiltration and podocyte injury in lupus nephritis patients with repeated renal biopsy: Report of three cases

Table 1 Clinical and pathological comparison of repeated renal biopsy in the three patients

Item	Case 1		Case 2		Case 3
	First renal biopsy	Repeated renal biopsy	First renal biopsy	Repeated renal biopsy	First renal biopsy	Repeated renal biopsy
Pathological type	LN IV-G (A)	LN III (A)	LN IV-G (A) + V	LN V	LN IV-G (A) + TMA	LN IV-S (A)
AI	12	7	13	4	16	13
CI	1	4	0	2	2	2
SLEDAI	18	6	18	4	24	14
Change of treatment	MP and CTX pulse therapy	MP pulse therapy	MP and CTX pulse therapy	Reduce glucocorticoids	MP and CTX pulse therapy, plasma exchange	MP pulse therapy, hemodialysis
Prognosis	-	Well	-	Well	-	Maintenance haemodialysis
Podocin expression	Visual reduction	Complete and continuous	Visual reduction	Increased expression	Visual reduction	Visual reduction
Infiltrating monocytes	Many monocytes infiltrated in the glomerulus and renal interstitium	Monocytes infiltrated in the renal interstitium	Many monocytes infiltrated in the glomerulus and renal interstitium	No obvious infiltration	Many monocytes infiltrated in the glomerulus and renal interstitium	Monocytes infiltrated in the renal interstitium

LN: Lupus nephritis; TMA: Thrombotic microangiopathy; AI: Acute index; CI: Chronic index; SLEDAI: Systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index; MP: Methylprednisolone; CTX: Cyclophosphamide; ESRD: End stage renal disease.