title: Mycophenolate mofetil versus intravenous cyclophosphamide for induction treatment of proliferative lupus nephritis in a Japanese population: a retrospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recent studies have shown that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is similar to intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVC) for the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN), but that treatment response may vary according to location and race/ethnicity. Moreover, no studies have been conducted to compare the efficacy of MMF with that of IVC for a Japanese population. We therefore conducted a retrospective study to clarify the efficacy and safety of MMF compared with that of IVC for induction therapy for active LN, classes III and IV, in a Japanese population of 21 patients, 11 of whom received MMF and 10 IVC.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary endpoint was expressed as the percentage of responders, who in turn were defined as the patients who met complete or partial response criteria according to the European consensus statement. The secondary endpoints comprised the renal activity component and serological activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary endpoint was achieved in nine (81.8 %) patients receiving MMF and in four (40.0 %) receiving IVC, with no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.081), while there was also no significant difference between them in terms of secondary endpoints. However, the MMF group suffered significantly fewer hematologic toxic effects than the IVC group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMF may be used as an alternative to IVC for inducing renal remission of LN in Japanese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Evidence Based Laboratory Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kogata
authors.forename: Kosaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Ikuko
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Misaki
authors.forename: Chiyo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Goichi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kageyama
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saegusa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morinobu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D060828:Induction Chemotherapy; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid