title: Prior rituximab administration is associated with reduced rate of acute GVHD after in vivo T-cell depleted transplantation in lymphoma patients.
abstract: Rituximab is one of the most commonly used drugs in the treatment of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Because of its ability to target CD20(+) lymphocytes, its use before allogeneic stem cell transplantation seemed to reduce risk of graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) occurrence. We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of adult patients diagnosed with CD20(+) lymphoproliferative disease undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation and receiving, or not receiving, rituximab up to 3 months before transplantation. Analysis on a cohort of 57 patients showed a protective role of rituximab on the occurrence of acute GVHD for those receiving anti-thymocyte globulin during conditioning (n = 39). Grade 2 to 4 and 3 to 4 acute GVHD occurred in 10% vs. 48% (p = 0.03) and 0% vs. 24% (p = 0.08) in the rituximab and no-rituximab groups, respectively. No impact on chronic GVHD was observed. These results confirm a protective role of rituximab on the occurrence of GVHD and enhance further investigation on future studies aimed at reducing GVHD incidence.
authors.affiliation: Transplantation and Cell Therapy Unit, Department of Hematology, Institute Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, France. crocchiolor@marseille.fnclcc.fr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Crocchiolo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castagna
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: El-Cheikh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Helvig
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fürst
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Faucher
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vazquez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granata
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coso
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bouabdallah
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blaise
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069283:Rituximab; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab