Rituximab use in everyday clinical practice as a first-line biologic therapy for the treatment of DMARD-resistant rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the utility of rituximab for the therapy of RA in a non-academic environment in a group of cases where anti-TNF was either not available or relatively contraindicated.


METHODS
Thirty-nine patients with active RA who had failed at least one DMARD received two rituximab infusions 2 weeks apart. Seventeen patients received two 1000 mg doses, and 22 received the 500 mg regimen. The 28-joint disease activity index (DAS28) and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria were recorded at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. RF and ANA were recorded at baseline and at 6 and 12 months.


RESULTS
There was a significant improvement in the DAS28 at all time points, and EULAR response was observed in 29 of 33 patients (87.9%) at 3 months, 25 of 33 patients (75.8%) at 6 months, 22 of 29 patients (75.9%) at 9 months and 23 of 30 patients (76.7) at 12 months. Improvement was also noted in CRP, and both RF and ANA were generally reduced after treatment. Patients who were on the higher regimen of two 1000 mg doses appeared to respond slightly better compared with the lower dose regimen.


CONCLUSIONS
Rituximab is well tolerated in everyday clinical practice and may represent a good short-term treatment option where anti-TNF therapy is either unavailable or relatively contraindicated.
McGonagle
D
D
Academic Unit of Musculoskeletal Disease, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK. d.g.mcgonagle@leeds.ac.uk
Tan
A L
AL
Madden
J
J
Taylor
L
L
Emery
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069283:Rituximab