Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41169181›Full record

SynthesisArthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.)2026

Biomarkers of Lupus Nephritis Histopathology: Where Do We Stand?

Valentina Querin, Leonardo Palazzo, Agnes B Fogo, Mark Haas, David R W Jayne, Liz Lightstone, Brad H Rovin, Surya V Seshan, Augusto Vaglio, Ioannis Parodis and 2 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Valentina QuerinDepartment of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9782-8992
Leonardo PalazzoDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
Agnes B FogoDepartment of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Mark HaasDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California.
David R W JayneDepartment of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1712-0637
Liz LightstoneDepartment of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
Brad H RovinOhio State University, Columbus.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5639-0210
Surya V SeshanDepartment of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York.
Augusto VaglioDepartment of Biomedical, Experimental and Clinical Sciences "Mario Serio," University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3814-9172
Ioannis ParodisDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4875-5395
Ingeborg M BajemaDepartment of Pathology and Medical Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Lupus Nephritis Classification Steering Committee

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveLupus nephritis (LN) is characterized by a variable disease course, necessitating continuous monitoring. There is an urgent need to identify noninvasive biomarkers. By reviewing and critically assessing the quality of existing studies on LN biomarkers correlating with histopathology, we here explore the challenges in promoting their use in clinical practice and identify promising candidates for future validation.

methodsA systematic literature search was conducted, including studies on adult patients with biopsy-proven LN published between 2012 and 2024. The search focused on studies demonstrating correlations between biomarkers and histologic findings, particularly the National Institutes of Health activity and chronicity indices, the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society histologic classes, and specific active and chronic lesions. The quality of selected articles was assessed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts using a standardized scoring system.

resultsNinety-three articles investigating the potential utility of >100 biomarkers were selected. In quality assessment, 68% of the articles were weak or very weak (score <5, scale 2-9). From the remaining articles (adequate or robust) we identified five biomarkers with a potential for implementation in clinical practice: transforming growth factor β1, pentraxin-3, (soluble) CD163, CD11b, and interleukin-16.

conclusionThe methodologic heterogeneity across studies and the overall moderate score of the quality of the articles represent obstacles to the implementation of new biomarkers into clinical practice. The LN working group advocates further research on selected biomarkers that demonstrated good capacity to reflect specific histopathologic features outperforming traditional tests. At present, the choice of biomarkers that perform to these standards is very limited.

Indexed as

C-Reactive ProteinKidneyLupus NephritisSerum Amyloid P-ComponentAntigens, CDAntigens, Differentiation, MyelomonocyticBiomarkersCD163 AntigenHumansReceptors, Cell SurfaceTransforming Growth Factor beta1Antigens, CDAntigens, Differentiation, MyelomonocyticBiomarkersCD163 AntigenC-Reactive ProteinReceptors, Cell SurfaceSerum Amyloid P-ComponentTransforming Growth Factor beta1

Identifiers

PMID41169181
PMCPMC12991913

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.