Lupus nephritis (LN) means that the kidney is inflamed. Currently, most people who are suspected of having LN have to get a kidney biopsy, a procedure in which small pieces of the kidney are removed for study under a microscope. But what if the availability of urine tests for LN may mean that a kidney biopsy one day may not be necessary to accurately diagnose LN?
This will be an advantage for people with lupus since a kidney biopsy is an invasive procedure, can sometimes have serious side effects, and is not a practical way to monitor LN disease activity over time.
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