@article {LASKARI1304, author = {KATERINA LASKARI and ATHANASIOS G. TZIOUFAS and ANNA ANTONIOU and HARALAMPOS M. MOUTSOPOULOS}, title = {Longterm Followup After Tapering Mycophenolate Mofetil During Maintenance Treatment for Proliferative Lupus Nephritis}, volume = {38}, number = {7}, pages = {1304--1308}, year = {2011}, doi = {10.3899/jrheum.101249}, publisher = {The Journal of Rheumatology}, abstract = {Objective. To determine the timing for safe reduction of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) dose during remission-maintenance therapy of proliferative lupus nephritis. Methods. The study population consisted of 44 patients evaluated retrospectively; MMF dose was empirically tapered in 18/44 patients until the latest observation. Results. Patients reducing MMF <= 18 months after remission/complete remission had a 6.8-fold/6.3-fold higher risk of relapse compared to those taking a stable dose (p = 0.001, p = 0.011, respectively). Reducing MMF later than 18 months was not associated with increased relapse rates. Conclusion. Reducing MMF \> 1.5 years after remission/complete remission seems to warrant drug tapering without increased risk of disease flare in proliferative lupus nephritis.}, issn = {0315-162X}, URL = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/38/7/1304}, eprint = {https://www.jrheum.org/content/38/7/1304.full.pdf}, journal = {The Journal of Rheumatology} }