title: [Sustained complete remission for one year following low-dose rituximab therapy for chronic autoimmune neutropenia].
abstract: A 78-year-old male with a 5-year history of neutropenia was admitted to our hospital with high fever. Peripheral blood and bone marrow findings showed severe granulocytic hypoplasia. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and steroid pulse therapy did not improve the clinical conditions at all, and severe sepsis persisted. After he was diagnosed with autoimmune neutropenia by detection of anti-neutrophil antibody in sera, low-dose infusion of rituximab was performed. Neutrophil count promptly increased and normalized one month after the start of treatment. He has remained in remission for 1 year. Compared with the standard dose, low-dose rituximab therapy is promising for the treatment of chronic autoimmune neutropenia because of the lower cost as well as the lower incidence of adverse reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Eiju General Hospital.
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hagihara
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hua
authors.forename: Morihiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Naohiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Michikawa
authors.forename: Kikuyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009504:Neutrophils; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab