title: [Therapeutic use of a monoclonal, anti-CD4 antibody in refractory rheumatoid polyarthritis. Preliminary results].
abstract: Ten patients (6 women and 4 men), with a group mean age of 65 years, defined as severe and with a mean follow-up period of 9 years and refractory to conventional treatments, were treated with monoclonal anti-CD4 antibodies in an open study. The monoclonal antibodies, of murine origin, were administered by intravenous route for ten consecutive days at a dose of 10 mg (1 patient), 15 mg (2 patients) or 20 mg (7 patients). Local and systemic tolerability were excellent. Clinical improvement was rapid (pain, morning stiffness, Ritchie index, p = 0.005 between D0 and D15), as was the paraclinical improvement (C-reacting protein, p = 0.008), although without achieving complete remission. The outcome revealed that the effect was more prolonged in patients treated with 20 mg per day than in the others, suggesting a dose-effect relationship. The improvement obtained may persist for more than 9 months in some patients. No significant change in immunological parameters was found at the end of the treatment (lymphocyte populations, immunoglobulins, complement). Only 2 out of 10 patients developed anti-mouse antibodies. As a result of its excellent tolerability and rapid effectiveness, this antibody appears to offer fresh therapeutic prospects in rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Service de Rhumatologie, CHRU, Besançon.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wendling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wijdenes
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Racadot
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015704:CD4 Antigens
vernacular_title: Utilisation thérapeutique d'un anticorps monoclonal anti-CD4 dans la polyarthrite rhumatoïde réfractaire. Résultats préliminaires.