Multicenter Retrospective Analysis of the Effectiveness and Safety of Rituximab in Korean Patients with Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Autor: So-Young Bang, Chang Keun Lee, Young Mo Kang, Hyoun-Ah Kim, Chang-Hee Suh, Won Tae Chung, Yong-Beom Park, Jung-Yoon Choe, Tae-Jong Kim, Yong-Wook Park, Dae-Hyun Yoo, Sang-Cheol Bae, Hye-Soon Lee
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Autoimmune Diseases, Vol 2012 (2012)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2090-0422
2090-0430
DOI: 10.1155/2012/565039
Popis: Objective. Although two recent randomized placebo-controlled trials of rituximab (RTX) failed to demonstrate efficacy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), clinicians continue to use off-label RTX for cases refractory to current treatments. We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of rituximab for patients with refractory SLE in Korea. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed multicenter patients treated with RTX in Korea. Results. 39 SLE patients treated with RTX were included in the following manner: lupus nephritis 43.6%, hematologic 33.3%, arthritis 7.8%, myositis 7.8%, and others 7.7%. All patients had responded poorly to at least one conventional immunosuppressive agent (mean 2.5 ± 1.1, cyclophosphamide 43.6%, mycophenolate mofetil 48.7%, and other drugs) before RTX. Clinical improvements (complete or partial remission) occurred in patients with renal disease, hematologic disease, arthritis, myositis, and other manifestations at 6 months after RTX. The SLEDAI score was significantly decreased from 10.8±7.1 at baseline to 6.7±4.0 at 6 months, 6.2±4.1 at 12 months, and 5.5±3.6 at 24 months after RTX (P
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