title: Rituximab for treatment of autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
abstract: We report the successful use of rituximab as single treatment modality in a five-month-old boy with fulminant warm autoantibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia, resistant to standard treatment. On admission, laboratory tests showed a profound anemia with a hemoglobin of 2.6 g/dL. Indirect and direct antiglobulin tests were strongly positive, and nonspecific IgG autoantibodies were detected. Two days of intravenous corticosteroids (methylprednisolone 4mg/kg) and immunoglobulins (1g/kg) did not halt the hemolysis and the infant was severely transfusion-dependent. Rituximab 375mg/sq m weekly was given for 4 weeks, the hepatosplenomegaly gradually regressed, the lymphocytes normalized and he is free from hemolysis two years after treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Mother and Child Health Institute Dr Vukan Cupic, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Medicine and University of Kragujevac, Faculty of Medicine, Serbia.
authors.forename: Milos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuzmanovic
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jurisic
mesh_terms: D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab