title: Treatment of childhood autoimmune haemolytic anaemia with rituximab.
abstract: Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia commonly has a severe course in young children, thus requiring multiple immunosuppressive treatments. Five children with refractory idiopathic autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, and one child with the disease after bone-marrow transplantation, were treated with rituximab-a monoclonal antibody against CD20. Tolerance of the treatment was good. However, circulating Bcells were absent and hypogammaglobulinaemia was seen for 9 months after treatment. All patients remained in complete remission 15-22 months after the start of rituximab therapy. Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs were stopped or their dose markedly reduced. We suggest that rituximab could be a valuable treatment for autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, although a long-lasting but transient B-cell deficiency develops.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Quartier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brethon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Philippet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landman-Parker
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Le Deist
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab; D011241:Prednisone