title: Efficacy of rituximab in severe and mild abdominal vasculitis in the course of mixed cryoglobulinemia.
abstract: Abdominal vasculitis represents a rare, but life-threatening manifestation in mixed cryoglobulinemic syndrome (MCsn), despite aggressive immunosuppressive treatments. Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, rituximab (RTX) has already been used with good results in MC in preliminary studies. No data have been provided, however, on the efficacy of RTX in gastrointestinal involvement of MCsn. Herein, we report the favourable outcomes of the gastrointestinal manifestations in five patients treated with RTX, where the diagnosis of abdominal vasculitis was confirmed by histopathological findings in 2 out of 5 patients, while in the other three patients the diagnosis was made on the basis of positive endoscopy or by integrating clinical and laboratory data.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Clinic, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria S. Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quartuccio
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petrarca
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mansutti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pieroni
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Calcabrini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avellini
authors.forename: Annalinda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zignego
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Vita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001706:Biopsy; D003449:Cryoglobulinemia / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab