Hill et al developed an index for evaluating renal biopsies from a patient with lupus nephritis.. The final score is a compilation of 4 subindices. The authors are from Hopitaux Broussais, St. Louis, Henri Mondor and Bichat in Paris.
Patient selection: lupus nephritis
Specimen: renal biopsy
Parameters:
(1) glomerular activity index (GAI, from 0 to 24)
(2) tubulointerstitial activity index (TIAI, from 0 to 21)
(3) chronic lesions index (CI, from 0 to 15)
(4) immunofluorescence index (IFI, from 0 to 96)
biopsy index =
= ((glomerular activity index) / 8) + ((tubulointerstitial activity index) / 7) + ((chronic lesions index) / 5) + ((immunofluorescence index) / 32)
where:
• The denominator for each parameter is one third of the maximum value)
Interpretation:
• minimum biopsy index: 0
• maximum biopsy index: 12
• The higher the index the greater the severity of the lupus nephritis.
Performance:
• The biopsy index and its components are affected by interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility.
