title: Risk factors for infection in haematology patients treated with rituximab.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although rituximab therapy is not considered to be closely associated with infection, there have been reports of serious infections in patients treated with rituximab. We performed a statistical retrospective analysis to clarify the risk factors for infection in patients receiving rituximab therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of data from clinical records was performed that targeted haematology patients treated at our university hospital between April 2003 and October 2006. We selected 63 patients with CD20-positive lymphoma whose peripheral blood immunoglobulin levels had been measured within 6 months before and after rituximab therapy. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for serious infection in these patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three risk factors identified were: 1) reduction in IgM after administration of rituximab [odds ratio (OR) = 1.032, confidence interval (CI) = 1.007-1.057; P = 0.009], 2) duration of rituximab therapy [OR = 0.962, CI = 0.932-0.994; P = 0.021] and 3) G-CSF administration [OR = 4.825, CI = 1.411-16.495; P = 0.012].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rituximab therapy may be associated with infection, indicating the need for sequential monitoring of IgM levels and identification of the optimal interval between rituximab cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanbayashi
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Muneo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohshiro
authors.forename: Kousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Yosuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horiike
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takagi
authors.forename: Yoji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Masafumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab