Table 1.

Characteristics of the included studies

References	Country, study design	Sample size (male/female)	Age (years)	TA duration (months)	MMF therapya (months)	Other immunosuppressive drugs before MMF (n)
Goel et al. [5]	India, retrospective	21b (2/19)	Mean ± SD: 31.9 ± 13.8	Mean ± SD: 35.5 ± 28.4 Range:1–120	Mean ± SD: 9.6 ± 6.4	Azathioprine (10)
Shinjo et al. [6]	Brazil, prospective	10c (3/7)	Mean ± SD: 29.9 ± 8.9 Range: 18–40	Mean ± SD: 57.5 ± 65.8	Mean ± SD: 23.3 ± 12.1	Methotrexate (4)d,e Azathioprine (2)d Chlorambucil (1)e

TA Takayasu’s arteritis, MMF mycophenolate mofetil

^aMycophenolate mofetil as an alternative immunosuppressive drug accompanying steroids in controlling TA disease activity

^bOne patient was not used to evaluate efficacy because of a skin rash, and 11 patients were on steroids alone before MMF

^cOne patient was not used to evaluate efficacy due to a severe headache, and five patients were on steroids alone before MMF

^dOne received methotrexate + azathioprine

^eOne received chlorambucil + methotrexate