Table 1 Baseline clinical and renal pathological features of lupus nephritis patients with or without complete renal response at 3 years after induction therapy

Female sex, n (%)

40 (90.9)

27 (75.0)

0.32

Age, years

39.7 ± 13.1

38.3 ± 11.5

0.43

BMI, kg/m²

22.1 ± 2.9

21.7 ± 3.1

0.31

Systolic blood pressure, mmHg

128.3 ± 16.7

130.0 ± 18.3

0.34

Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg

80.1 ± 13.2

79.9 ± 13.6

0.57

Disease duration, years

5.9 ± 8.0

7.7 ± 7.2

0.23

SLEDAI

16.3 ± 4.7

13.4 ± 4.9

<0.01

SDI

0.4 ± 0.6

0.5 ± 0.6

0.26

Proteinuria, g/g creatinine

2.6 ± 2.2

3.1 ± 1.8

0.14

eGFR, ml/minute

72.9 ± 27.4

77.6 ± 32.3

0.27

Anti-dsDNA antibody, IU/ml

212 ± 300

155 ± 259

0.26

Anticardiolipin antibody, IU/ml

23.5 ± 30.6

15.4 ± 25.6

0.12

Lupus anticoagulant-positive, n (%)

9 (20.5)

3 (8.3)

0.13

CH50, U/ml

16.1 ± 8.6

21.4 ± 12.4

0.02

Prednisolone, mg/day

45.9 ± 14.9

41.1 ± 14.1

0.07

 IVCY

25 (56.8)

15 (44.4)

0.34

 MMF

8 (18.2)

3 (11.1)

0.23

 Tacrolimus

7 (15.9)

6 (19.4)

0.96

 PSL monotherapy

2 (4.5)

6 (16.7)

0.07

 Others

2 (4.5)

6 (16.7)

0.07

  III (A) or III (A/C), n (%)

18 (40.9)

9 (25.0)

0.13

  III (A) or III (A/C) + V, n (%)

4 (9.1)

6 (16.7)

0.34

  IV (A) or IV (A/C), n (%)

14 (31.8)

15 (41.7)

0.41

  IV (A) or IV (A/C) + V, n (%)

8 (18.2)

6 (16.7)

0.92

  Endocapillary hypercellularity, %

41.2 ± 29.5

43.0 ± 33.1

0.27

  Leukocyte infiltration, %

1.9 ± 5.5

1.4 ± 4.0

0.34

  Subendothelial hyaline deposits, %

31.2 ± 32.7

30.7 ± 29.3

0.43

  Fibrinoid necrosis/karyorrhexis, %

6.9 ± 12.4

15.3 ± 28.0

0.17

  Cellular crescents, %

8.3 ± 7.3

10.6 ± 21.8

0.18

  Interstitial inflammation, %

1.2 ± 4.8

2.1 ± 7.1

0.44

  Glomerular sclerosis, %

3.7 ± 8.2

6.9 ± 9.1

0.25

  Fibrous crescents, %

1.6 ± 3.1

1.1 ± 4.2

0.43

  Tubular atrophy, %

3.8 ± 6.3

6.3 ± 6.1

0.14

  Interstitial fibrosis, %

4.6 ± 7.2

7.1 ± 6.0

0.26

Activity index

5.1 ± 3.1

5.9 ± 4.1

0.21

Chronicity index

1.3 ± 0.2

1.8 ± 1.6

0.12