BACKGROUND: Conventional cyclophosphamide-based treatment regimens for lupus nephritis (LN) are still not considered to be optimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mizoribine, tacrolimus, and corticosteroid combination therapy for LN. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated a combination treatment of mizoribine and tacrolimus with corticosteroids as induction therapy in eight newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with biopsy-proven LN. RESULTS: All patients were women, and their mean [standard deviation (SD)] age was 48.5 (20) years. All patients (100 %) had positive anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody titers, and four (50.0 %) were nephrotic. Mean (SD) serum creatinine and daily proteinuria levels were 0.72 (0.4) mg/dl (range 0.33-1.55 mg/dl) and 4.56 (2.8) g (range 0.77-8.2 g), respectively. By month 2, significant improvements in the anti-dsDNA antibody titers, levels of proteinuria, serum albumin, and C3, and SLE disease activity index score were observed. By month 6, seven patients (87.5 %) were in complete remission, with normalized levels of both proteinuria and serum creatinine. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that mizoribine and tacrolimus treatment with corticosteroids is well tolerated and may prove to be an optimal alternative remission-inducing regimen for LN.
BACKGROUND: Conventional cyclophosphamide-based treatment regimens for lupus nephritis (LN) are still not considered to be optimal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of mizoribine, tacrolimus, and corticosteroid combination therapy for LN. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated a combination treatment of mizoribine and tacrolimus with corticosteroids as induction therapy in eight newly diagnosed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with biopsy-proven LN. RESULTS: All patients were women, and their mean [standard deviation (SD)] age was 48.5 (20) years. All patients (100 %) had positive anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody titers, and four (50.0 %) were nephrotic. Mean (SD) serum creatinine and daily proteinuria levels were 0.72 (0.4) mg/dl (range 0.33-1.55 mg/dl) and 4.56 (2.8) g (range 0.77-8.2 g), respectively. By month 2, significant improvements in the anti-dsDNA antibody titers, levels of proteinuria, serum albumin, and C3, and SLE disease activity index score were observed. By month 6, seven patients (87.5 %) were in complete remission, with normalized levels of both proteinuria and serum creatinine. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that mizoribine and tacrolimus treatment with corticosteroids is well tolerated and may prove to be an optimal alternative remission-inducing regimen for LN.
Authors: W Yumura; S Suganuma; K Uchida; T Moriyama; S Otsubo; T Takei; M Naito; M Koike; K Nitta; H Nihei Journal: Clin Nephrol Date: 2005-07 Impact factor: 0.975
Authors: K Manger; B Manger; R Repp; M Geisselbrecht; A Geiger; A Pfahlberg; T Harrer; J R Kalden Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2002-12 Impact factor: 19.103
Authors: Chi Chiu Mok; King Yee Ying; Sydney Tang; Chung Ying Leung; Ka Wing Lee; Woon Leung Ng; Raymond Woon Sing Wong; Chak Sing Lau Journal: Arthritis Rheum Date: 2004-08
Authors: F A Houssiau; C Vasconcelos; D D'Cruz; G D Sebastiani; E de Ramon Garrido; M G Danieli; D Abramovicz; D Blockmans; A Cauli; H Direskeneli; M Galeazzi; A Gül; Y Levy; P Petera; R Popovic; R Petrovic; R A Sinico; R Cattaneo; J Font; G Depresseux; J-P Cosyns; R Cervera Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2010-01 Impact factor: 19.103