In the 12-year period between 1974 and 1985, 19 children aged between 8 and 12 years with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were seen in the Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. A preponderance of females (M:F = 1:2.8) and ethnic Chinese was evident. Renal biopsies revealed a wide Iange of renal morphology, including minimal change glomerulonephritis, focal proliferative glomerulonephritis, diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with varying degrees of severity and membranous glomerulonephritis. The majority (15) of patients had clinical SLE at the time of renal biopsy, of whom 4 were also grossly nephrotic. In the remaining 4 patients a diagnosis of SLE was made after further investigation for nephrotic syndrome (2) and acute nephritis (2). The pattern of renal pathology in childhood lupus nephritis appears not to differ significantly from adults.
Key words: Systemic lupus erythematosus, glomerulonephritis