title: Effective treatment of refractory pulmonary hemorrhage with monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody (rituximab).
abstract: We report a 19-year-old female with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis who developed pulmonary hemorrhage (PH) refractory to conventional immunosuppressive treatment. She was initially treated with intravenous methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide pulses. She required mechanical ventilation due to a lack of responsiveness and her disease was considered refractory to conventional treatment. Rituximab was administered and this was followed by clinical improvement in both PH and nephritis. Rituximab may be a useful therapeutic option for the treatment of refractory PH.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Section, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, Colombia.
authors.forename: Luis Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Candia
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Juan Ignacio
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Marín
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pachón
authors.forename: Luis R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Espinoza
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008181:Lupus Nephritis / Q000150:complications; D000069283:Rituximab; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab