Rituximab No Better Than Azathioprine for EGPA Maintenance, French Trial Finds
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A French double-blind randomized clinical trial published in JAMA tested rituximab against azathioprine as maintenance therapy for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). Among 98 participants followed over 28 months, rituximab did not prolong remission: mean time in remission on prednisone at 7.5 mg/day or less was 91.1 weeks with rituximab versus 96.0 weeks with azathioprine, a non-significant difference (P=.38). Safety favored azathioprine, with severe infections occurring in 46.9% of the rituximab group versus 24.5% of the azathioprine group. The findings do not support rituximab over azathioprine for EGPA maintenance. Trial registration: NCT03164473; DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.15278.
Written by a model from the reports · updated 3 hours ago
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- JAMARituximab vs Azathioprine for Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis Maintenance Therapy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
A French double-blind randomized clinical trial found that rituximab maintenance therapy for EGPA did not prolong remission duration compared with azathioprine. Among 98 participants, mean time in remission on prednisone at 7.5 mg/d or less over 28 months was 91.1 weeks vs 96.0 weeks (P=.38), and severe infections occurred in 46.9% vs 24.5%. Trial registration: NCT03164473; DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.15278.
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