Retrospective analysis was done on 85 patients (76 female, 9 male) with lupus nephritis who started intravenous cyclophosphamide between 1/1/1989 and 31/12/1998. The initial renal biopsy (World Health Organisation) classification was III (4.7%), IV (89.4%) and V (5.9%). Average serum creatinine at time of biopsy was 0.12 +/- 0.12 mmol/l. Median duration of nephritis before biopsy was 2 months (range 0-133). Median duration of follow-up from time of biopsy to outcome (death or end-stage renal failure) was 3.3 years (range 0.3-11.8). Nineteen patients died. The calculated proportion alive at 5 years was 75% and at 10 years 64%. The calculated proportion alive with renal function was 74% and 54% at 5 and 10 years respectively. Fifty-two patients completed cyclophosphamide therapy at the end of the study. There were ten episodes of herpes zoster, the most common infection seen. No malignancy was reported.