[Successful treatment of pemphigus foliaceus with rituximab. Report of 3 cases].
Treatment of autoimmune bullous diseases, especially of the pemphigus diseases, regularly requires the use of immunosuppressive drugs, often with insufficient clinical benefit but considerable side effects. A variety of autoimmune diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, pemphigus vulgaris) have been successfully treated with rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20, leading to a transient depletion of B cells. We report on three patients with pemphigus foliaceus who responded to rituximab after failing multiple other immunosuppressive therapies. We also examine the controversial issue of continuation therapy with rituximab in detail.
Alter
M
M
Klinik und Poliklinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Ricklinger Strasse 5, 30449, Hannover. alter.mareike@mh-hannover.de
Wittmann
M
M
Völker
B
B
Kapp
A
A
Werfel
T
T
Gutzmer
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab