Value of Repeat Renal Biopsy in Lupus Nephritis: Histological Transitions, Treatment Impact, and Predictors of Repeat Biopsy and Active Disease

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Abstract Background: Repeat renal biopsy frequently reveals changes in the histological pattern in lupus nephritis (LN) which can guide alterations in therapeutic decisions. However, the choice of which patients should undergo such a repetition on clinical ground remains insufficiently defined. We sought to identify independent clinical predictors for repeat biopsy. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 370 patients with biopsy-proven LN. A clinically indicated second renal biopsy was performed in 122 patients (33%) due to acute renal flares, persistent disease activity, or suspected progression. LN classes were classified as non-proliferative (classes I, II, V, VI) or proliferative (classes III, IV, and mixed). Crude odds ratios and multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for baseline age, sex, and LN classification were utilized to identify independent predictors. The treatment regimens were consolidated into broad categories of clinical management subsets to evaluate changes in therapeutic pathways. Results: The initial biopsies showed, 30.5% of patients had non-proliferative and 69.5% proliferative LN. Histological transformation occurred in 68% of the repeat biopsies. Mixed LN classes increased significantly in the second biopsy from 7.4% to 22.9% (p