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Mycophenolate Mofetil Reduces Lupus Flares and Cuts Prednisone Use: Presented at ACR

By Bruce Sylvester

BOSTON, MA -- November 13, 2007 -- Not only does mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) treatment significantly reduce the total number of flares in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but it also reduces the daily use of prednisone dose by these patients.

Researchers reported these findings here on November 9 at the 71st annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

"Total flares and severe flares were reduced significantly after initiation of [MMF] treatment," said Kevin Moder, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota. "Strikingly, the mean prednisone dosing was cut in half. This is very good news for patients and clinicians," he added.

In this retrospective study, the investigators identified all patients seen at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in a 2-year period (2002-2004) who received an SLE diagnosis and were treated with MMF. SLE patients less than 18 years of age and those who did not have follow-up at the Mayo Clinic were excluded.

The researchers analyzed patient charts for demographic data, disease duration, dose and duration of MMF therapy, corticosteroid use, and number and severity of lupus flares. They also obtained pretreatment data on lupus flares for 1 to 2 years prior to starting MMF.

They compared the number of flares prior to MMF therapy with the number of flares in the 1- to 2-year period after initiating MMF. The researchers used standard flare measurement tools and analyzed the data using standard statistical tools.

Of 294 charts screened, 88 patients qualified for the study. Mean age of the subjects was 44 years (range 18-75), mean lupus duration was 10 years (range 0-46), and 83% of the patients were female (73 female, 15 male).

Mean time period from diagnosis to initiating MMF treatment was 13 months (range 0-24), mean time period of treatment after starting MMF was 15 months (range 0-24), and mean MMF dose was 1,358 mg/day (range 250-3,000).

The researchers reported that 26 subjects stopped MMF before completing at least 1 year of therapy. They also reported that 5 subjects (19%) stopped because of adverse events related to MMF therapy.

The investigators found that the mean flare rate was reduced by 40% and mean daily prednisone could be reduced by over 54% after initiating MMF therapy.

"MMF treatment significantly reduced the total number of lupus flares, including severe flares. The mean daily prednisone dose was significantly reduced in patients after treatment with MMF compared [with] before MMF therapy," the authors concluded.

MMF is currently FDA-approved for use with other medications to prevent the body from rejecting kidney, heart, and liver transplants.


[Presentation title: Mycophenolate Mofetil Is Effective in Reducing Disease Flares in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients. Abstract F90]

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