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Brief Report: Long-term outcome of a randomized clinical trial comparing methotrexate to cyclophosphamide for remission induction in early systemic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis

Faurschou, Mikkel ; Westman, Kerstin LU ; Rasmussen, Niels ; de Groot, Kirsten ; Flossmann, Oliver ; Höglund, Peter LU and Jayne, David R. W. (2012) In Arthritis and Rheumatism 64(10). p.3472-3477
Abstract
Objective The NORAM (Nonrenal Wegener's Granulomatosis Treated Alternatively with Methotrexate [MTX]) trial demonstrated that MTX can replace cyclophosphamide (CYC) as remission-inducing treatment for patients with newly diagnosed early systemic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodyassociated vasculitis. Duration of relapse-free survival was longer among CYC-treated patients than among MTX-treated patients during short-term followup. The aim of the present study was to describe the long-term outcome in patients enrolled in the randomized clinical trial. Methods Outcome questionnaires were sent to investigators who had recruited patients for the NORAM trial. Patients treated with MTX for induction of remission (n = 49) were compared to... (More)
Objective The NORAM (Nonrenal Wegener's Granulomatosis Treated Alternatively with Methotrexate [MTX]) trial demonstrated that MTX can replace cyclophosphamide (CYC) as remission-inducing treatment for patients with newly diagnosed early systemic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodyassociated vasculitis. Duration of relapse-free survival was longer among CYC-treated patients than among MTX-treated patients during short-term followup. The aim of the present study was to describe the long-term outcome in patients enrolled in the randomized clinical trial. Methods Outcome questionnaires were sent to investigators who had recruited patients for the NORAM trial. Patients treated with MTX for induction of remission (n = 49) were compared to CYC-treated patients (n = 46) with respect to immunosuppressive therapy during followup, relapse-free survival, mortality, and occurrence of other clinical events. Results The median duration of followup was 6 years (range 0.110.8 years). One patient developed end-stage renal disease, and 11 died. The number of patients affected by serious infection, malignancy, or severe organ failure did not differ between treatment groups, and no difference in survival rate was observed. The duration of corticosteroid therapy was longer in the MTX group during the 18 months of the trial (P = 0.005). During subsequent followup, patients who were in the MTX group in the NORAM trial received corticosteroids, CYC, and other immunosuppressive agents (azathioprine, MTX, and/or mycophenolate mofetil) for longer periods than those who were in the CYC group (P = 0.004, P = 0.037, and P = 0.031, respectively). The cumulative relapse-free survival tended to be lower in the MTX group (P = 0.056). Conclusion In the NORAM cohort, no difference in occurrence of major adverse events was observed between treatment groups during long-term followup. However, first-line treatment with MTX was associated with less effective disease control than CYC-based induction therapy. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Arthritis and Rheumatism
volume
64
issue
10
pages
3472 - 3477
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • wos:000309403000045
  • scopus:84869027155
ISSN
1529-0131
DOI
10.1002/art.34547
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
8d6f1e47-951f-4ce6-81c6-a9cfa0fd8eef (old id 3184298)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:38:16
date last changed
2022-04-27 23:54:27
@article{8d6f1e47-951f-4ce6-81c6-a9cfa0fd8eef,
  abstract     = {{Objective The NORAM (Nonrenal Wegener's Granulomatosis Treated Alternatively with Methotrexate [MTX]) trial demonstrated that MTX can replace cyclophosphamide (CYC) as remission-inducing treatment for patients with newly diagnosed early systemic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodyassociated vasculitis. Duration of relapse-free survival was longer among CYC-treated patients than among MTX-treated patients during short-term followup. The aim of the present study was to describe the long-term outcome in patients enrolled in the randomized clinical trial. Methods Outcome questionnaires were sent to investigators who had recruited patients for the NORAM trial. Patients treated with MTX for induction of remission (n = 49) were compared to CYC-treated patients (n = 46) with respect to immunosuppressive therapy during followup, relapse-free survival, mortality, and occurrence of other clinical events. Results The median duration of followup was 6 years (range 0.110.8 years). One patient developed end-stage renal disease, and 11 died. The number of patients affected by serious infection, malignancy, or severe organ failure did not differ between treatment groups, and no difference in survival rate was observed. The duration of corticosteroid therapy was longer in the MTX group during the 18 months of the trial (P = 0.005). During subsequent followup, patients who were in the MTX group in the NORAM trial received corticosteroids, CYC, and other immunosuppressive agents (azathioprine, MTX, and/or mycophenolate mofetil) for longer periods than those who were in the CYC group (P = 0.004, P = 0.037, and P = 0.031, respectively). The cumulative relapse-free survival tended to be lower in the MTX group (P = 0.056). Conclusion In the NORAM cohort, no difference in occurrence of major adverse events was observed between treatment groups during long-term followup. However, first-line treatment with MTX was associated with less effective disease control than CYC-based induction therapy.}},
  author       = {{Faurschou, Mikkel and Westman, Kerstin and Rasmussen, Niels and de Groot, Kirsten and Flossmann, Oliver and Höglund, Peter and Jayne, David R. W.}},
  issn         = {{1529-0131}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{3472--3477}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Arthritis and Rheumatism}},
  title        = {{Brief Report: Long-term outcome of a randomized clinical trial comparing methotrexate to cyclophosphamide for remission induction in early systemic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/art.34547}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/art.34547}},
  volume       = {{64}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}