title: The efficacy of mizoribine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and its correlation with renal function.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the correlation between the efficacy of mizoribine (MZR) and the factors that might effect MZR concentration: renal function and dosage and administration of MZR in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  
  
  METHODS
  The efficacy of MZR treatment was prospectively evaluated in 97 RA regardless of dosage, at the 14 participated institutions. The Disease Activity Score 28-CRP3 was used to assess RA activity. The renal function was evaluated based on the serum creatinine and serum cystatin-C (Cys-C). The patients were followed up for 24 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients with a mean age 66.2 years included 18 male. The renal function assessment showed increased creatinine in 16.4% of patients and increased Cys-C in 54.5%, suggesting the higher sensitivity of Cys-C to detect impaired renal function than creatinine. In patients with good or moderate response according to the European League against Rheumatism classification criteria, the Cys-C was significantly higher compared with those with no response. MZR treatment was significantly more effective in patients with an arithmetic product of the single MZR dose used and Cys-C of 179 or more.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The efficacy of MZR may increase in proportion to its single dose, or increased Cys-C level in patients with impaired renal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Saitama Medical Center, Jichi Medical University , Saitama , Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Terai
authors.forename: Tomomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsutsumi
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakurai
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriguchi
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azuma
authors.forename: Motohide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawagoe
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoshi
authors.forename: Hide
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Toshimichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.forename: Kyoichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: Ayumi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuyama
authors.forename: Eiko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Muneo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ota
authors.forename: Toshihide
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chino
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Handa
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Issei
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kida
authors.forename: Shigeto
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kimihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kuga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012263:Ribonucleosides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D012263:Ribonucleosides; C010052:mizoribine
keywords: Cystatin-C; DAS; Mizoribine; Renal function; Rheumatoid arthritis