Table 3 Clinical parameters at presentation, treatments given, and outcome data for the two groups either receiving or not receiving plasma exchange (PEX) as part of disease induction

At presentation

Creatinine (μmol/l)

140 ± 90

370 ± 259

0.000

eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m²)

56 ± 31

22 ± 22

0.000

CRP (mg/l)

48 ± 61

105 ± 82

0.001

Haemoglobin (g/l)

116 ± 21

94 ± 18

0.000

Albumin (g/l)

34 ± 6

29 ± 6

0.000

Dialysis-requiring

1^a

20

0.000

VDI

0

0

1

Glucocorticoids

46 (100)

58 (100)

1

CYC

23 (50)

45 (78)

0.004

Rituximab

15 (33)

7 (12)

0.03

CYC and/or rituximab

38 (83)

52 (90)

0.39

MMF

8 (17)

16 (28)

0.24

Methotrexate

8

0

0.001

Azathioprine

6

1

0.02

Infliximab

1

0

0.25

Cumulative glucocorticoid dose (g)

2.5 ± 0.4

2.3 ± 0.2

0.000

Cumulative CYC dose (g)

8.0 ± 3.6

5.4 ± 3.0

0.002

Disease remission

Number (%) entering remission

44 (96)

57 (98)

0.98

Time to remission (days)

118 ± 124

83 ± 39

0.046

At 12 months

Creatinine (μmol/l)

120 ± 46

191 ± 172

0.02

eGFR (ml/min/1.73 m²)

56 ± 24

43 ± 24

0.02

CRP (mg/l)

22 ± 71

8 ± 14

0.33

Haemoglobin (g/l)

126 ± 14

121 ± 15

0.15

Albumin (g/l)

41 ± 6

40 ± 5

0.31

Dialysis-requiring

0

5

0.04

VDI

1.2 ± 0.2

1.3 ± 0.1

0.79

Disease relapse

Number (%) of patients with relapses

12 (26)

8 (14)

0.09

Mean time to first relapse (days)

714 ± 699

564 ± 318

0.38

Median time to first relapse

800 (1124)

773 (1164)

0.57

(days & IQR)