Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) frequently manifests as urinary tract disease, most commonly in the form of lupus nephritis. Bladder involvement in the disease course takes a subclinical form and may affect both children and adults.
Conclusions: Lupus patients are likely to have UTI, usually manifesting in the lower tract. They are community acquired, basically caused by E coli, and favoured by age, previous UTI, admissions to hospital due to UTI, thrombopenia, ANA, leucopenia, and methotrexate treatments.
pH is not diagnostic for lupus nephritis, but highly acidic urine may indicate conditions such as dehydration, uncontrolled diabetes and certain respiratory diseases. Urine that is excessively basic may indicate urinary tract infections, and some kidney or lung problems.
Only people who have lupus can have lupus nephritis. If your health care provider thinks that your lupus might be affecting your kidneys, they might order urine tests to look for blood or protein in your urine. Having blood or protein in your urine can be a sign that your kidneys are not working as well as they should.
Find out if you have lupus nephritis
You may need different kinds of tests, including: Urine tests to check for blood and protein in your urine. Blood tests to check how well your kidneys are filtering waste out of your blood. Kidney biopsy to check for inflammation and scarring in your kidney tissue.
In urine with systemic lupus erythematosus, a large number of leukocytes will be seen, in addition to proteins and erythrocytes. This autoimmune disease can cause inflammation in the joints, skin, eyes and kidneys. Interstitial cystitis. It is a disorder of usually unknown causes and of long duration.
Most people with kidney lupus (lupus nephritis) will have an abnormal urinalysis. Protein, urine casts (especially red blood cell casts), red blood cells, or white blood cells in the urine can indicate serious kidney involvement; leukocyte esterase may indicate a bladder infection.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an autoimmune related condition that causes discomfort or pain in the bladder and a need to urinate frequently and urgently. It is far more common in women than in men. The symptoms vary from person to person. Some people may have pain without urgency or frequency.
A lower-than-normal white blood cell count, or leukopenia, is found on the full blood count in about 95 percent of lupus patients. This is due to the presence of antibodies that destroy white blood cells. Fortunately, this rarely causes a clinical problem because more white blood cells are made by the bone marrow.
Lupus and common infections
Some of the more common infections include: herpes zoster (virus) Staphylococcus aureus (bacterium) Escherichia coli (bacterium)
Between 30-50% of those diagnosed with SLE develop kidney disease or lupus nephritis. Symptoms and signs of lupus nephritis can include swelling or puffiness of the feet, legs and eyes; high protein levels in the urine; frothy or frequent urination; blood in the urine; and high blood pressure.
Patients with SLE with low-level proteinuria may have significant lupus- or non–lupus-related kidney disease with management implications. There was a significant burden of severe forms of LN. The presence of LN was not predicted by laboratory abnormalities.
People with lupus may also be prone to urinary tract infections. These cause burning on urination and require treatment with antibiotics. Certain lupus medications can also affect the kidneys and cause swelling and other symptoms similar to those of lupus nephritis.
Lupus can be difficult to diagnose because its signs and symptoms often mimic those of other ailments. The most distinctive sign of lupus — a facial rash that resembles the wings of a butterfly unfolding across both cheeks — occurs in many but not all cases of lupus.
Autoimmune disease can directly affect the lower urinary tract function by attacking the central nervous system, upregulating the peripheral neurotransmission receptors, or depositing immune complexes in the bladder.
In Sjögren's syndrome, the most common abnormality is inflammation in the tissue surrounding the tubules (interstitial nephritis), and this may lead to poorly concentrated urine (with a low specific gravity), protein in the urine, and occasionally a high urine pH.
autoimmunity. An organ-specific disease is one in which an immune response is directed toward antigens in a single organ. Examples are Addison disease, in which autoantibodies attack the adrenal cortex, and myasthenia gravis, in which they attack neuromuscular cells. In systemic diseases the immune system attacks self…
Antibody blood tests
The test you will hear about most is called the antinuclear antibodies test (the ANA test). 97% of people with lupus will test positive for ANA.
Inflammation in your body triggers the release of leukocytes. That inflammation can come from an injury, infection, or disease. Interstitial nephritis and cystitis are two conditions that cause inflammation in your urinary tract.
Signs of lupus nephritis include: Blood in the urine (hematuria): Glomerular disease can cause your glomeruli to leak blood into your urine. Your urine may look pink or light brown from blood, but most often you will not be able to see the blood cells except with a microscope.
Nephrologist: Specialist who treats many diseases, including those of the kidney, and may diagnose and treat lupus nephritis. Often, the Nephrologist is the doctor who confirms the diagnosis of lupus nephritis through a kidney biopsy.
On abdominal ultrasound, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may present with hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, hyperecho-kidney tissue due to nephritis, and rarely cholecystitis. On synovial ultrasound, SLE may present with synovial effusions and synovitis.
When kidneys are failing, the increased concentration and accumulation of substances in urine lead to a darker color which may be brown, red or purple. The color change is due to abnormal protein or sugar, high levels of red and white blood cells, and high numbers of tube-shaped particles called cellular casts.