title: Rituximab plus Peg-interferon-alpha/ribavirin compared with Peg-interferon-alpha/ribavirin in hepatitis C-related mixed cryoglobulinemia.
abstract: Treatment of hepatitis C (HCV)-mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) may target either the viral trigger (HCV) or the downstream B-cell clonal expansion. Prospective cohort study of 38 HCV-MC patients who received a combination of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)) once a week for 1 month followed by Peg-interferon-alpha (Peg-IFN-alpha; 2a, 180 microg or 2b, 1.5 microg/kg) weekly plus ribavirin (600-1200 mg) daily for 48 weeks were compared with 55 HCV-MC patients treated by Peg-IFN-alpha/ribavirin with the same modalities. In the whole population of HCV-MC patients (n = 93), a complete clinical response was achieved in 73.1% (68 of 93), cryoglobulin clearance in 52.7% (49 of 93), and a sustained virologic response in 59.1% (55 of 93). Compared with Peg-IFN-alpha/ribavirin, rituximab plus Peg-IFN-alpha/ribavirin-treated patients had a shorter time to clinical remission (5.4 +/- 4 vs 8.4 +/- 4.7 months, P = .004), better renal response rates (80.9% vs 40% of complete response, P = .040), and higher rates of cryoglobulin clearance (68.4% vs 43.6%, P = .001) and clonal VH1-69(+) B-cell suppression (P < .01). Treatment was well tolerated with 11% of discontinuation resulting from antiviral therapy and no worsening of HCV RNA under rituximab. Our findings indicate that rituximab combined with Peg-IFN-alpha/ribavirin is well tolerated and more effective than Peg-IFN-alpha/ribavirin in HCV-MC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saadoun
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Resche Rigon
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sene
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Terrier
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karras
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Perard
authors.forename: Yoland
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Schoindre
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coppéré
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blanc
authors.forename: Lucile
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Musset
authors.forename: Jean-Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Piette
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosenzwajg
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cacoub
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D012367:RNA, Viral; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; D000069283:Rituximab; C417083:peginterferon alfa-2b; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a