Longterm followup after tapering mycophenolate mofetil during maintenance treatment for proliferative lupus nephritis.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the timing for safe reduction of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) dose during remission-maintenance therapy of proliferative lupus nephritis.

METHODS:

The study population consisted of 44 patients evaluated retrospectively; MMF dose was empirically tapered in 18/44 patients until the latest observation.

RESULTS:

Patients reducing MMF ≤ 18 months after remission/complete remission had a 6.8-fold/6.3-fold higher risk of relapse compared to those taking a stable dose (p = 0.001, p = 0.011, respectively). Reducing MMF later than 18 months was not associated with increased relapse rates.

CONCLUSION:

Reducing MMF > 1.5 years after remission/complete remission seems to warrant drug tapering without increased risk of disease flare in proliferative lupus nephritis.

• Authors: Katerina Laskari, Athanasios G Tzioufas, Anna Antoniou, Haralampos M Moutsopoulos
• Journal: The Journal of rheumatology (J Rheumatol) Vol. 38 Issue 7 Pg. 1304-8 (Jul 2011) ISSN: 0315-162X [Print] Canada
• PMID: 21498485 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Immunosuppressive Agents
• Mycophenolic Acid

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Immunosuppressive Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Kaplan-Meier Estimate
• Longitudinal Studies
• Lupus Nephritis (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mycophenolic Acid (adverse effects, analogs & derivatives, therapeutic use)
• Remission Induction
• Retrospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Young Adult