Summary of findings 7. Azathioprine versus methotrexate for maintenance therapy.
| Azathioprine (AZA) versus methotrexate (MTX) for renal vasculitis for maintenance therapy | |||||
| Patient or population: adults with renal vasculitis for maintenance therapy Settings: inpatients then outpatients Intervention: AZA Comparison: MTX | |||||
| Outcomes | Illustrative comparative risks* (95% CI) | Relative effect (95% CI) | No. of participants (studies) | Quality of the evidence (GRADE) | |
| Assumed risk | Corresponding risk | ||||
| MTX | AZA | ||||
| Death | 16 per 1000 |
5 per 1000 (0 to 127) |
RR 0.33 (0.01 to 8.03 |
126 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ low1,2 |
| Kidney function | not reported | not reported | ‐‐ | ‐‐ | ‐‐ |
| Dialysis | not reported | not reported | ‐‐ | ‐‐ | ‐‐ |
| Relapse | 333 per 1000 | 367 per 1000 (227 to 590) | RR 1.10 (0.68 to 1.77) | 126 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ low1,2 |
| Adverse events causing death or study drug discontinuation | 190 per 1000 | 110 per 1000 (48 to 263) | RR 0.58 (0.25 to 1.38) | 126 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ low1,2 |
| Severe adverse events | 175 per 1000 |
79 per 1000 (30 to 215) |
RR 0.58 0.25 to 1.38) |
126 (1) | ⊕⊕⊝⊝ low1,2 |
| *The basis for the assumed risk (e.g. the median control group risk across studies) is provided in footnotes. The corresponding risk (and its 95% confidence interval) is based on the assumed risk in the comparison group and the relative effect of the intervention (and its 95% CI). CI: Confidence interval; RR: Risk ratio | |||||
| GRADE Working Group grades of evidence High quality: Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect. Moderate quality: Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate. Low quality: Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate. Very low quality: We are very uncertain about the estimate. | |||||
1 Single study results 2 Wide CI