BACKGROUND: The primary systemic vasculitides usually associated with autoantibodies to neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens include @entity2883 and @entity6129 . We investigated whether exposure to @entity786 in @entity1 with generalized @entity1333 could be reduced by substitution of @entity500 at remission. METHODS: We studied @entity1 with a new diagnosis of generalized @entity1333 and a serum @entity1011 concentration of 5.7 mg per deciliter (500 micromol per liter) or less. All @entity1 received at least three months of therapy with oral @entity786 and @entity617 . After remission, @entity1 were randomly assigned to continued @entity786 therapy (1.5 mg per kilogram of body weight per day) or a substitute regimen of @entity500 (2 mg per kilogram per day). Both groups continued to receive @entity617 and were followed for 18 months from study entry. Relapse was the primary end point. RESULTS: Of 155 @entity1 studied, 144 (93 percent) entered remission and were randomly assigned to @entity500 (71 @entity1 ) or continued @entity786 (73 @entity1 ). There were eight deaths (5 percent), seven of them during the first three months. Eleven relapses occurred in the @entity500 group (15.5 percent), and 10 occurred in the @entity786 group (13.7 percent, P=0.65). Severe adverse events occurred in 15 @entity1 during the induction phase (10 percent), in 8 @entity1 in the @entity500 group during the remission phase (11 percent), and in 7 @entity1 in the @entity786 group during the remission phase (10 percent, P=0.94 for the comparison between groups during the remission phase). The relapse rate was lower among the @entity1 with @entity6129 than among those with @entity2883 (P=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: In @entity1 with generalized @entity1333 , the withdrawal of @entity786 and the substitution of @entity500 after remission did not increase the rate of relapse. Thus, the duration of exposure to @entity786 may be safely reduced.

A randomized trial of maintenance therapy for XXXX associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity500 :: ('MESH:D001379', 'Chemical') :: ['azathioprine'] @entity1333 :: ('MESH:D014657', 'Disease') :: ['vasculitis'] @entity786 :: ('MESH:D003520', 'Chemical') :: ['cyclophosphamide'] @entity6129 :: ('MESH:D055953', 'Disease') :: ['microscopic polyangiitis'] @entity2883 :: ('MESH:D014890', 'Disease') :: ["Wegener's granulomatosis"] @entity1011 :: ('MESH:D003404', 'Chemical') :: ['creatinine'] @entity617 :: ('MESH:D011239', 'Chemical') :: ['prednisolone']
@entity1333 :: (MESH:D014657,Disease) :: ['vasculitis']
