STAT4 and lupus nephritis: This is the first study in Vietnam to investigate the relationship between gene variants relating to the interferon pathway (STAT4, CDKN1A, and IRF5) and their relationship with disease activity based on kidney biopsy and SLEDAI score, in which we found SNP rs7582694 (STAT4) was a risk factor for the development of lupus nephritis and patients carrying C allele on SNP rs7582694 were more likely to develop ISN/RPS class III and above kidney injury compare to patients with the GG genotype.