Intravenous cyclophosphamide vs rituximab for the treatment of early diffuse scleroderma lung disease: open label, randomized, controlled trial

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 57; no. 12; pp. 2106 - 2113
• Main Authors: Sircar, Geetabali, Goswami, Rudra Prosad, Sircar, Dipankar, Ghosh, Alakendu, Ghosh, Parasar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.12.2018
• Subjects: Adult; Antirheumatic Agents - therapeutic use; Cyclophosphamide - therapeutic use; Disease Progression; Female; Humans; Lung - pathology; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - drug therapy; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - etiology; Male; Rituximab - therapeutic use; Scleroderma, Diffuse - complications; Scleroderma, Diffuse - drug therapy; Scleroderma, Diffuse - pathology; Severity of Illness Index; Skin - pathology; Treatment Outcome; Vital Capacity - drug effects; Walk Test; cyclophosphamide; interstitial lung disease; modified Rodnan skin score; diffuse systemic sclerosis; rituximab; forced vital capacity

Abstract Objectives SSc is characterized by fibrotic changes in the skin and lung, and the mainstay of treatment has been CYC. B cell involvement suggests that rituximab (RTX) may also be of therapeutic benefit. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy and safety of RTX compared with CYC in...