Addition of azathioprine to corticosteroids does not benefit patients with IgA nephropathy.

The optimal treatment for IgA nephropathy (IgAN) remains unknown. Some patients respond to corticosteroids, suggesting that more aggressive treatment may provide additional benefit. We performed a randomized, multicenter, controlled trial to determine whether adding azathioprine to steroids improves renal outcome. We randomly assigned 207 IgAN patients with creatinine ≤2.0 mg/dl and proteinuria ≥1.0 g/d to either (1) a 3-day pulse of methylprednisolone in months 1, 3, and 5 in addition to both oral prednisone 0.5 mg/kg every other day and azathioprine 1.5 mg/kg per day for 6 months (n = 101, group 1) or (2) steroids alone on the same schedule (n = 106, group 2). The primary outcome was renal survival (time to 50% increase in plasma creatinine from baseline); secondary outcomes were changes in proteinuria over time and safety. After a median follow-up of 4.9 years, the primary endpoint occurred in 13 patients in group 1 (12.9%, 95% CI 7.5 to 20.9%) and 12 patients in group 2 (11.3%, CI 6.5 to 18.9%) (P = 0.83). Five-year cumulative renal survival was similar between groups (88 versus 89%; P = 0.83). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that female gender, systolic BP, number of antihypertensive drugs, ACE inhibitor use, and proteinuria during follow-up predicted the risk of reaching the primary endpoint. Treatment significantly decreased proteinuria from 2.00 to 1.07 g/d during follow-up (P < 0.001) on average, with no difference between groups. Treatment-related adverse events were more frequent among those receiving azathioprine. In summary, adding low-dose azathioprine to corticosteroids for 6 months does not provide additional benefit to patients with IgAN and may increase the risk for adverse events.

IgA nephropathy with severe chronic renal failure: a randomized controlled trial of corticosteroids and azathioprine.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic nihilism is common in IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and renal insufficiency. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial comparing steroids alone or combined with azathioprine in 253 IgAN patients, we used a separate randomization list for patients with creatinine >2.0 mg/dL. Twenty patients (group 1) were randomized to 3 intravenous pulses of methylprednisolone 1 g at months 1, 3 and 5, and oral prednisone 0.5 mg/kg every other day plus azathioprine 1.5 mg/kg/day for 6 months, followed by oral prednisone 0.2 mg/kg every other day plus azathioprine 50 mg/day for a further 6 months; 26 patients (group 2) received steroids alone. The primary outcome was renal survival (50% increase in plasma creatinine from baseline); secondary outcomes were proteinuria over time and adverse events. RESULTS: Six-year renal survival was not different between the 2 groups (50% vs. 57%; log-rank p=0.34). Median proteinuria decreased during follow-up in the whole population (from 2.45 g/day [interquartile range (IQR) 1.50-3.78] to 1.09 g/day [IQR 0.56- 2.46]; p<0.001), with no between-group difference. Multivariate predictors associated with renal survival were sex of patient, proteinuria during follow-up, number of antihypertensive drugs, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and treatment including azathioprine. Six patients in group 1 (30%) and 4 in group 2 (15%) did not complete the therapy, because of side effects (p=0.406). CONCLUSIONS: Six-year renal survival was similar in the 2 groups. At Cox analysis the addition of azathioprine may be slightly more effective than corticosteroids alone in patients with chronic renal insufficiency, although with an increase of side effects.