Table 3 Inclusion criteria for the pulse versus continuous CPA studies

Adu 1997

Patients 15-70 y with new-onset systemic necrotizing vasculitis.

Wegener's granulomatosis, classical polyarteritis nodosa and microscopic polyarteritis diagnosed by histological or radiological evidence.

De Groot 2009a

newly diagnosed Wegener's Granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, or renal-limited microscopic polyangiitis renal involvement: at least one of: serum creatinine >150 umol/l and <500 μmol/l, biopsy evidence of necrotizing GN, erythrocyte casts, or haematuria and proteinuria, confirmatory histology or ANCA positivity

Other multi-system autoimmune disease; hepatitis B or C virus or HIV infection/Serum creatinine > 500 μmol/l; previous cancer; pregnancy; age under 18 yrs or older than 80 yrs.

Guillevin 1997

Age > 15 years

New diagnosis of systemic WG diagnosed clinically based on the presence of multi-organ involvement.

Mono-visceral involvement representing a potential risk or severe morbidity of fatality.

Histopathologic characterization of necrotizing granulomatosis vasculitis or evidence of either granulomatous inflammation and vasculitis or segmental necrotizing GN

NS

Haubitz 1998

New diagnoses of WG and MPA and renal involvement. Biopsy performed

Age < 18 y, pregnancy, HIV, malignancy, SCr > 200 μmol/L more than 1 year before presentation, cytotoxic drug therapy for > 1 week before start of study, HD for > 10 days before start of study.