Rituximab use in pediatric autoimmune diseases: four case reports.
Rituximab (RTX) is currently used in many diseases, but its efficacy and safety in juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (SLEj) is still unknown. In this chapter we present four case reports of children treated with RTX: three SLE and one immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Two of the three SLEj patients had class IV lupus nephritis (LN) and hematologic manifestations (pancytopenia), both reaching complete recovery of blood counts and improvement of LN with RTX treatment. Our third SLE patient had a severe onset with generalized microangiopathic manifestations in association with antiphospholipid antibodies and has been in remission for almost 1 year after RTX. However, our fourth case, a patient with ITP and renal failure, was treated with RTX without either hematologic or renal response.
Polido-Pereira
Joaquim
J
Hospital de Santa Maria, Serviço de Reumatologia e Doenças Osseas Metabólicas, Lisboa, Portugal. polidopereira@gmail.com
Ferreira
Daniel
D
Rodrigues
Ana Maria
AM
Nascimento
Catarina
C
Costa
Paula
P
Almeida
Margarida
M
da Silva
José Eduardo Esteves
JE
Simão
Carla
C
Stone
Rosário
R
Ramos
Filipa
F
Neto
Adriano
A
da Costa
José Carlos Teixeira
JC
Melo-Gomes
José
J
Gomes-Pedro
João
J
Viana-Queiroz
Mário
M
Canhão
Helena
H
Fonseca
João Eurico
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009393:Nephritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab