title: Repeated courses of rituximab in chronic ITP: Three different regimens.
abstract: This study investigated responses to retreatment with rituximab in chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) patients. Treatment with rituximab in chronic ITP patients induces long-lasting responses in approximately 30% of patients but even these patients may relapse. Twenty patients who had achieved a response to rituximab and relapsed were retreated with rituximab (375 mg/m(2)x 4); this data was analyzed retrospectively. Subsequently, 16 patients were prospectively randomized to receive rituximab with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (R-CVP) or double dose rituximab (DDR). Retreatment with standard dose rituximab demonstrated responses similar to initial rituximab treatment in 15 of 20 patients. Neither of the two more intensive regimens (R-CVP, DDR) induced responses in any patient who had previously failed to respond to rituximab nor induced substantially longer-lasting responses among previous responders. No additional toxicity was noted with the DDR regimen, whereas R-CVP was not well tolerated. These results suggest that retreatment with standard dose rituximab induces similar responses in 75% of previously responding patients and is well tolerated. Neither combining rituximab with CVP nor doubling the dose of rituximab increased the response rate.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Hematology, Children's Blood Center, NY Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA. hasana@mskcc.org
authors.forename: Aisha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stasi
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cunningham-Rundles
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leonard
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bussel
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab