PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - KATERINA LASKARI AU - ATHANASIOS G. TZIOUFAS AU - ANNA ANTONIOU AU - HARALAMPOS M. MOUTSOPOULOS TI - Longterm Followup After Tapering Mycophenolate Mofetil During Maintenance Treatment for Proliferative Lupus Nephritis AID - 10.3899/jrheum.101249 DP - 2011 Jul 01 TA - The Journal of Rheumatology PG - 1304--1308 VI - 38 IP - 7 4099 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/38/7/1304.short 4100 - http://www.jrheum.org/content/38/7/1304.full SO - J Rheumatol2011 Jul 01; 38 AB - 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.