A biomarker refers to a biologic, biochemical, or molecular event that can be assayed qualitatively and quantitatively by laboratory techniques. The levels of biomarkers should correlate with disease pathogenesis or activity in different organ systems. An ideal biomarker for lupus nephritis should possess the following properties: (1) good correlation with renal activity as reflected by the degree of proteinuria and urine sediments, (2) ability to predict renal activity/flares before an obvious change in conventional clinical parameters occurs so that early treatment/preventive strategies can be considered, (3) specific to nephritis among patients with SLE, and (4) specific to SLE for aiding early diagnosis of lupus nephritis. In addition, a useful biomarker should be easy to assay, simple to interpret, and readily available in most laboratories with a reasonable cost. SLE being a rare disease, efforts have to be collaborative in a multi- centric fashion to ensure cost-effective utilization of resources. Conventional serum and urine biomarkers continue to be the most widely used. Renal biopsy is still the gold standard for deciding therapy in LN but its invasive nature prevents it from being used repetitively. What seems achievable and more practical at this point in time is to utilize the most beneficial property of each biomarker and to develop a combination test that could predict the various aspects of treatment of LN, such as chronicity and activity changes, response to treatment and prediction of flare.The prevalence of anti-C1q antibodies was 54.4%, and the presence of anti-C1q antibodies was closely correlated with acute injury indices of renal histopathology, with a better correlation compared with anti-dsDNA antibodies, such as endocapillary hypercellularity, karyorrhexis/fibrinoid necrosis, subendothelial hyaline deposits and leukocyte infiltration. However, similar to anti-dsDNA antibodies, the presence of the autoantibodies was not a risk factor of the renal survival. anti-C1q antibodies are more closely correlated with renal disease activity than other autoantibodies

Anti C1q Antibodies, Lupus Nephritis