@article{3001510,
    title = "Long-term follow-up of the MAINTAIN Nephritis Trial, comparing azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil as maintenance therapy of lupus nephritis",
    author = "Tamirou, F. and D'Cruz, D. and Sangle, S. and Remy, P. and Vasconcelos, C. and Fiehn, C. and Del Mar Ayala Guttierez, M. and Gilboe, I.-M. and Tektonidou, M. and Blockmans, D. and Ravelingien, I. and Le Guern, V. and Depresseux, G. and Guillevin, L. and Cervera, R. and Houssiau, F.A. and Abramowicz, D. and Atzeni, F. and Danieli, M.G. and De Clercq, L. and De Ramon Garrido, E. and De Keyser, F. and Delahousse, M. and Espinosa, G. and Golstein, M. and Hirsch, M. and Karras, A. and Lang, P. and Marchal, M. and Marinho, A. and Max, R. and Peeters, P. and Petera, P. and Petrovic, R. and Quémeneur, T. and Raeman, F. and Sarzi-Puttini, P. and De Santis, L.V. and Verresen, L. and Weiss, L. and Westhovens, R. and MAINTAIN Nephritis Trial Group",
    journal = "Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases",
    year = "2016",
    volume = "75",
    number = "3",
    pages = "526-531",
    publisher = "BMJ Publishing Group",
    issn = "0003-4967, 1468-2060",
    doi = "10.1136/annrheumdis-2014-206897",
    keywords = "azathioprine;  creatinine;  glucocorticoid;  methylprednisolone;  mycophenolic acid;  prednisolone;  azathioprine;  immunosuppressive agent;  mycophenolic acid, adult;  Article;  clinical article;  creatinine blood level;  drug efficacy;  drug response;  end stage renal disease;  glomerulus filtration rate;  human;  immunosuppressive treatment;  kidney function;  lupus erythematosus nephritis;  maintenance therapy;  predictive value;  pregnancy;  priority journal;  prognosis;  proteinuria;  treatment duration;  treatment outcome;  unspecified side effect;  urinalysis;  analogs and derivatives;  chronic kidney failure;  comparative study;  controlled study;  disease course;  female;  follow up;  longitudinal study;  Lupus Nephritis;  maintenance chemotherapy;  male;  middle aged;  randomized controlled trial, Adult;  Azathioprine;  Disease Progression;  Female;  Follow-Up Studies;  Humans;  Immunosuppressive Agents;  Kidney Failure, Chronic;  Longitudinal Studies;  Lupus Nephritis;  Maintenance Chemotherapy;  Male;  Middle Aged;  Mycophenolic Acid;  Proteinuria;  Treatment Outcome",
    abstract = "Objective: To report the 10-year follow-up of the MAINTAIN Nephritis Trial comparing azathioprine (AZA) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as maintenance therapy of proliferative lupus nephritis, and to test different definitions of early response as predictors of long-term renal outcome. Methods: In 2014, data on survival, kidney function, 24 h proteinuria, renal flares and other outcomes were collected for the 105 patients randomised between 2002 and 2006, except in 13 lost to follow-up. Results: Death (2 and 3 in the AZA and MMF groups, respectively) and end-stage renal disease (1 and 3, respectively) were rare events. Time to renal flare (22 and 19 flares in AZA and MMF groups, respectively) did not differ between AZA and MMF patients. Patients with good long-term renal outcome had a much more stringent early decrease of 24 h proteinuria compared with patients with poor outcome. The positive predictive value of a 24 h proteinuria <0.5 g/day at 3 months, 6 months and 12 months for a good long-term renal outcome was excellent (between 89% and 92%). Inclusion of renal function and urinalysis in the early response criteria did not impact the value of early proteinuria decrease as long-term prognostic marker. Conclusions: The long-term follow-up data of the MAINTAIN Nephritis Trial do not indicate that MMF is superior to AZA as maintenance therapy in a Caucasian population suffering from proliferative lupus nephritis. Moreover, we confirm the excellent positive predictive value of an early proteinuria decrease for long-term renal outcome."
}