Negative anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibody at switch to maintenance therapy is associated with a reduced risk of relapse

Table 2 Univariate survival analysis of factors potentially associated with the risk of relapse during follow-up

Variable	Hazard ratio (95% CI)	p
ANCA at switching to maintenance therapy
ANCA-positive	1	0.004
ANCA-negative	0.57 (0.38–0.84)	0.004
ANCA at trial entry
MPO-ANCA	1	0.002
PR3-ANCA	1.99 (1.30–3.04)	0.002
Patient age (per decade)	0.79 (0.70–0.90)	<0.001
Serum creatinine at entry (per 50 μmol/L)	0.87 (0.80–0.95)	0.002
Clinical diagnosis
GPA	1	0.002
MPA	0.72 (0.59–0.89)	0.002
Initial induction treatment
Daily oral cyclophosphamide	1	0.016
Pulsed cyclophosphamide	1.64 (1.10–2.45)	0.016
Initial maintenance therapy
AZA	1	<0.001
MMF	2.13 (1.42–3.19)	<0.001
Time to remission (per month)	1.07 (0.95–1.21)	0.279

ANCA anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies, AZA azathioprine, CI confidence interval, GPA granulomatosis with polyangiitis, MMF mycophenolate mofetil, MPA microscopic polyangiitis, MPO myeloperoxidase, PR3 proteinase 3