Characteristics of steroid-sparing agents
| Drug | Benefits | Drawbacks |
| AZA | Relatively rapid onset (3–6 months) Safe in pregnancy Can assess patient concordance with metabolites and neutrophil count | Greater tendency for nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity |
| MMF | Less hepatotoxic Can uptitrate more quickly Better gastrointestinal tolerance | |
| MTX | Once-weekly dosing | Possible association with fibrosis |
AZA, azathioprine; MMF, mycophenolate mofetil; MTX, methotrexate.