SHIMIZU Kyoko
   Department   Other, Other
   Position  
Article types Original article
Language English
Peer review Non peer reviewed
Title The clinical efficacy of azathioprine as maintenance treatment for autoimmune pancreatitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Journal Formal name:Journal of gastroenterology
Abbreviation:J Gastroenterol
ISSN code:14355922/09441174
Domestic / ForeginDomestic
Volume, Issue, Page 56(10),pp.869-880
Author and coauthor Masaki Yoshiharu, Nakase Hiroshi, Tsuji Yoshihisa, Nojima Masanori, Shimizu Kyoko, Mizuno Nobumasa, Ikeura Tsukasa, Uchida Kazushige, Ido Akio, Kodama Yuzo, Seno Hiroshi, Okazaki Kazuichi, Nakamura Seiji, Masamune Atsushi
Publication date 2021/10
Summary The effectiveness of azathioprine (AZA) in preventing relapse and maintaining autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) remission has been reported; however, most of these studies are case series with no randomized control trials available in the literature. Therefore, this study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature on this subject to determine the clinical efficacy of AZA as maintenance therapy for AIP patients. A systematic search was performed to identify studies on the clinical efficacy of AZA as maintenance therapy in AIP patients. The crude multiple relapse rate was estimated to assess the ability of AZA to control relapses in AIP. Pooled estimates were obtained using a random-effects model with the DerSimonian-Laird method. We identified AIP patients who did not respond to initial steroid treatment, experienced steroid weaning failure, or those who relapsed during remission as refractory cases. After reviewing the studies, ten articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were selected for meta-analysis. Of all 4504 patients, 3534 patients were treated with steroids, and 346 patients were treated with AZA for relapsed AIP. In this meta-analysis, 14/73 (19.2%) patients receiving AZA for refractory AIP relapsed. Meanwhile, 14/47 (29.8%) patients without AZA experienced relapse. The integrated odds ratio for relapse risk in patients receiving AZA was estimated to be 0.52 (p = 0.15). This systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated the efficacy of AZA in preventing relapse of AIP, which supports the use of AZA as a maintenance treatment in patients with AIP who relapse upon withdrawal of steroid therapy.
DOI 10.1007/s00535-021-01817-9
PMID 34426870