Risk of serious infections with immunosuppressive drugs and glucocorticoids for lupus nephritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Table 1 Crude rates of serious infections with immunosuppressive drugs or corticosteroids in patients with lupus nephritis

Treatment	#Studies	# Events	# Patients	Aggregate rate, per patient	Minimum rate	Maximum rate
Glucocorticoids	10	30	179	0.181	0.106	0.291
CYC	12	46	285	0.151	0.092	0.240
MMF	12	69	728	0.116	0.072	0.182
AZA	8	45	266	0.184	0.095	0.329
TAC	5	14	171	0.087	0.052	0.141
CSA	3	10	65	0.166	0.091	0.283
CYC LD	4	21	128	0.172	0.114	0.252
HD glucocorticoids	1	4	15	0.267	0.104	0.533
CYC HD	9	60	506	0.131	0.073	0.225
AZA HD	1	2	20	0.100	0.00	1.131
LEF HD	1	3	70	0.043	0.00	0.090
CYC-AZA	3	15	74	0.206	0.118	0.333
MMF-AZA	1	2	32	0.063	0.00	0.146
RTX + MMF	1	12	72	0.167	0.081	0.253

CYC-AZA, CYC followed by AZA
MMF-AZA, MMF followed by AZA
RTX + MMF, RTX combined with MMF
CYC cyclophosphamide, MMF mycophenolate mofetil, AZA azathioprine, TAC tacrolimus, CSA cyclosporine, LEF leflunomide, HD high dose, LD low dose; when not specified, standard dose should be inferred

ISSN: 1741-7015