Use of rituximab in systemic lupus erythematosus
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the clinical response of RTX in refractory to other immunosuppressive drugs SLE patients. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied SLE patients who were treated with rituximab (RTX) at Rheumatology Units of Córdoba Hospital, Italiano Hospital and Sanatorium Allende in Córdoba city, since 2006. We studied demographic data, indication to RTX therapy, response, and adverse events. The disease activity was measured by SLEDAI and ECLAM and organ damage by SLICC at baseline and at 6, 12 and 24 months post-treatment. Patients with SLE and renal disease were analyzed baseline proteinuria, urinary sediment, renal function was measured by creatinine clearance. p <0.05 was consid-ered statistically significant.Results: The number of patients was 14, 85.7% female with mean age of 33.64 ± 10.33 years old. 9 patients had renal involvement, 3 haematological, 1 lung involvement and severe arthritis. The basal SLEDAI was 15.93 ± 9.05, and 5.86 ± 5.57 and 2.8 ± 3.29 1 at 6 and 24 months respectively (p <0,001).The level of proteinuria de-creased from the baseline to 6, 12, 24 months (p=0.011), (p=0.028), (p=0.018). The main adverse reactions were infections in 3 patients (cutaneous infection, oral candidiasis, and pneumonia) and infusions reactions in 2 cases.Conclusion: RTX could be a therapeutic option in SLE patients re-fractory to other immunosuppressive treatment.References
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