title: Rituximab as treatment of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder in patients who underwent small bowel/multivisceral transplantation: report of three cases.
abstract: This report describes three cases of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) in multivisceral/small bowel transplant patients treated with rituximab (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies). In two cases (one of which was a B-cell lymphoma) a good response to therapy was achieved. A third case (with polymorphic PTLD with low CD20 expression) developed a refractory rejection and PTLD was still documented on graftectomy. Rituximab was well tolerated, and a reduction of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viral load was documented by quantitive competitive-EBV polymerase chain reaction. Efficacy of therapy needs to be assessed in controlled studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, Infectious Diseases Clinic, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. codeluppi.mauro@unimo.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Codeluppi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cocchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guaraldi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Benedetto
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pecorari
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Pinna
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gerunda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Esposito
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005736:Gardner Syndrome / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000637:transplantation*; D008232:Lymphoproliferative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014781:Viscera / Q000637:transplantation*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab