title: Rituximab treatment for adult patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
abstract: We present two cases with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) and two cases with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (SDNS) due to focal segmental glomerulonephritis (FSGS) who were treated with a single dose of rituximab (375 mg/m(2)). Although the two cases with SRNS showed no response, the two cases with SDNS achieved complete remission. The patients in whom the peripheral B-cell counts subsequently increased after the administration of rituximab demonstrated a relapse. Rituximab may be an effective treatment agent for SDNS with FSGS and the peripheral B-cell count may be a useful marker in such patients for preventing disease relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochi
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Kayu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Daigo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kamei
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsuruta
authors.forename: Ari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiohira
authors.forename: Takahito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: Mitsuyo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Itabashi
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mochizuki
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Motoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: Kosaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nitta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005923:Glomerulosclerosis, Focal Segmental / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D008297:Male; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000151:congenital / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D013256:Steroids; D000069283:Rituximab