Experience with rituximab in scleroderma: results from a 1-year, proof-of-principle study

• Published in: Rheumatology (Oxford, England) Vol. 49; no. 2; pp. 271 - 280
• Main Authors: Daoussis, Dimitrios, Liossis, Stamatis-Nick C., Tsamandas, Athanassios C., Kalogeropoulou, Christina, Kazantzi, Alexandra, Sirinian, Chaido, Karampetsou, Maria, Yiannopoulos, Georgios, Andonopoulos, Andrew P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.02.2010
• Series: Hot Paper
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived - adverse effects; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived - therapeutic use; B cells; B-Lymphocytes - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Cell Adhesion Molecules - metabolism; Clinical Science; Collagen - metabolism; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Drug Administration Schedule; Fibrosis; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Interstitial lung disease; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - drug therapy; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - etiology; Lung Diseases, Interstitial - physiopathology; Lymphocyte Depletion - methods; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pneumology; Respiratory Function Tests - methods; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Rituximab; Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis; Scleroderma; Scleroderma, Systemic - complications; Scleroderma, Systemic - drug therapy; Scleroderma, Systemic - pathology; Scleroderma, Systemic - physiopathology; Skin - immunology; Skin - metabolism; Skin - pathology; Systemic sclerosis; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vital Capacity - drug effects; Rituximab; B cells; Scleroderma; Interstitial lung disease; Systemic sclerosis; Fibrosis; Antineoplastic agent; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Connective tissue disease; Skin disease; Respiratory disease; Rheumatology; Autoimmune disease; B-Lymphocyte; Immunomodulator; Systemic disease; Interstitial pneumonitis; β Cell; Immunosuppressive agent

Objective. To assess the efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in SSc. Methods. Fourteen patients with SSc were evaluated. Eight patients were randomized to receive two cycles of RTX at baseline and 24 weeks [each cycle consisted of four weekly RTX infusions (375 mg/m2)] in addition to standard treatment, whe...