Abstract :
Byline: Lifeng Gong, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Min Xu, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Wei Xu, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Weigang Tang, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Jingkui Lu, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Wei Jiang, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Fengyan Xie, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Liping Ding, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. ; Xiaoli Qian, Department of Nephrology, Wujin Hospital Affiliated with Jiangsu University, China , Department of Nephrology, The Wujin Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, China. Abstract OBJECTIVE: The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy and safety of tacrolimus (TAC) monotherapy versus TAC-corticosteroid combination therapy in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) patients. METHODS: Databases including PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database were searched from inception to January 10, 2021. Eligible studies comparing TAC monotherapy and TAC-corticosteroid combination therapy in IMN patients were included. Data were analysed using Review Manager Version 5.3. RESULTS: Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis. One randomized controlled trial and six cohort studies involving 372 patients were identified. Compared with TAC monotherapy, TAC-corticosteroid had a higher total remission at the sixth month (odd ratio (OR) 0.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.31-0.78, P Çè CONCLUSION: TAC-corticosteroid combination therapy had a higher total remission rate at the sixth month but had a higher incidence of infection than TAC monotherapy in the treatment of IMN. The two therapeutic regimens had similar relapse rates.