Effect of rituximab on refractory Wegener granulomatosis with predominant granulomatous disease.
Wegener granulomatosis is an autoimmune disorder with a double spectrum. Vasculitic manifestations are at one end of it, whereas granulomatous ones are at the other. Rituximab (RTX) is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that has been successfully used in this condition. However, the granulomatous forms have been reported to show a tendency to be less responsive to RTX than the vasculitic disease. We present 4 cases of predominantly Wegener granulomatosis that responded positively to RTX.
Sánchez-Cano
D
D
Unidad de Enfermedades Autoinmunes Sistémicas, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, Spain. danifilax@gmail.com
Callejas-Rubio
J L
JL
Ortego-Centeno
N
N
D000328:Adult; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000187:drug effects*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use
D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D013256:Steroids; D000069283:Rituximab; D003520:Cyclophosphamide