Leflunomide as good as azathioprine in lupus nephritis maintenance therapy: study
Leflunomide is as good as azathioprine in lupus nephritis maintenance therapy according to a recent study published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Previous studies have compared mycophenolate mofetil and azathioprine as maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis (LN). Leflunomide is an immunosuppressant widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this investigator-initiated study was to compare the efficacy and safety of leflunomide versus azathioprine as maintenance therapy for lupus nephritis
270 adult patients with biopsy-confirmed active lupus nephritis from 7 Chinese Rheumatology Centres were enrolled. All patients received induction therapy with 6–9 months of intravenous cyclophosphamide plus glucocorticoids. Patients who achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) were randomised to receive prednisone in combination with leflunomide or azathioprine as maintenance therapy for 36 months. The primary efficacy endpoint was the time to kidney flare. Secondary outcomes included clinical parameters, extrarenal flare and adverse effects.
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