Why does cholesterol increase in lupus nephritis?
Disease description:
Recently, I've noticed that my father's cholesterol levels have been rising since he was diagnosed with lupus nephritis. I would like to know why lupus nephritis causes elevated cholesterol.
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Aihua
The complications of lupus nephritis can be more accurately discussed in terms of associated clinical manifestations. Patients with lupus nephritis may develop massive proteinuria, leading to hypoalbuminemia and consequently severe edema. Additionally, due to the nature of lupus itself, patients are particularly prone to serous cavity effusions. If patients also develop hypoalbuminemia and hyperlipidemia—characterized by elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels—they face further metabolic complications. Moreover, because of renal dysfunction, patients with lupus nephritis may experience complications related to impaired kidney function.
