Background: MiRNA 181a has the capacity to work as indicators for diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus disease (SLE) activity. Despite powerful anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive medications, lupus nephritis (LN) still results in chronic kidney disease (CKD) affecting an excessive number of people and is a leading cause of death and disability in SLE as a whole. Up to our knowledge, no previous Egyptian studies detect MicroRNA-181-a in adult lupus nephritis patients. Aim: To detect microRNA-181a expression level in adult lupus nephritis Egyptian patients and to correlate between microRNA-181a and activity of SLE disease in lupus nephritis patients. Methods: This case control study was carried out in Faculty of Medicine-Zagazig University, in Clinical Pathology Department and Rheumatology and Physical Medicine Department. Forty two (42) patients were included and classified into three groups: 14 apparent healthy subjects as control group, 14 SLE patients and 14 subjects diagnosed as lupus nephritis patients. Micro RNA-181a was detected by real time PCR in all subjects. Results: Patients with LN SLE and non-LN SLE differed statistically significantly from one another as regard to Micro RNA-181a level when compared to control group. Moreover, Micro RNA-181a was significantly higher in LN SLE patients (p<0.001) when compared to Non-LN SLE patients. Conclusion: microRNA-181a may be taken into consideration while assessing the course and prognosis of SLE disease. An innovative serum-based biomarker for the diagnosis of SLE and the prediction of LN in Egyptians is the expression analysis of miR-181a.