title: The efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil in treating Takayasu arteritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in treating Takayasu arteritis (TA) patients. Embase, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Clinicaltrials. Gov and three Chinese literature databases (VIP, CNKI, WanFang) were searched; randomized-controlled trials and observational studies that compared the efficacy before and after treatment with MMF were included. The efficacy outcomes were disease activity, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) values and steroid dosage. The results were expressed as mean differences with 95% confidence intervals. Compared with the baseline, there were significant reductions in the ESR (-14.92 [25.35, -4.48]), CRP values (-12.99 [-23.29, -2.68]) and the steroid dosage (-17.64 [-24.89, -10.4]) after the addition of MMF, and the disease tended to stabilize. Therefore, MMF might be an alternative immunosuppressive drug for TA for the control of disease activity and to taper the steroid dosage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Medicine College, Ningbo University, 247 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, 315020, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Danping
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Medicine College, Ningbo University, 247 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, 315020, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: YangYang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Medicine College, Ningbo University, 247 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, 315020, Zhejiang, China. jinhaiying1975@163.com.
authors.forename: Haiying
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1523-3184
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Medicine College, Ningbo University, 247 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, 315020, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Yiyang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Medicine College, Ningbo University, 247 Renmin Road, Jiangbei District, Ningbo, 315020, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D009173:Mycophenolic Acid
keywords: Efficacy; Meta-analysis; Mycophenolate mofetil; Steroid dosage; Systematic review; Takayasu arteritis