title: Infusion Rate Escalation Study of Rituximab in Patients with CD20+ B-Cell Lymphomas: A Single Institution Analysis in Japan.
abstract: Background. To determine the maximum tolerable infusion rate of rituximab, and investigate the safety and feasibility of rapid infusion of rituximab for patients with CD20 positive B-cell lymphomas (CD20+NHL). Patients and Methods. 18 patients with CD20+NHL were registered. This study had six cohorts of administration rate of rituximab. The median age was 56 years (range, 38-79), and five of 18 patients were male. Two patients (11%) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were receiving R-CHOP therapy, two (11%) with indolent lymphoma were receiving R-CVP therapy, and 14 (78%) with indolent lymphoma were receiving rituximab as maintenance therapy. Results. A total of 88 cycles of rituximab was administered. Rapid infusion of rituximab was well tolerated, with only one grade 3 leukocytepenia and one grade 4 neutropenia. Four patients (22%) developed grade 1 infusion-related toxicities at the first administration of rituximab. No patient with severe drug-related events was observed. Conclusions. We determined that the maximum tolerable infusion rate of rituximab is 300 mL/h (under 700 mg/h), and confirmed that administration of over 60 minutes is safe and feasible. We recommend rapid administration of rituximab for practice setting in patients with CD20+NHL being treated with rituximab or rituximab-containing chemotherapy. (Clinical trial no. JFCR2009-1027).
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Cancer Institute Hospital, 3-8-31 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.forename: Yasuhito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terui
authors.forename: Kengo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ueda
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mishima
authors.forename: Sakura
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakajiri
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuyama
authors.forename: Keiya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Kiyohiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatake