title: Rituximab use in the catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome: descriptive analysis of the CAPS registry patients receiving rituximab.
abstract: The catastrophic variant of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by thrombosis in multiple organs developing over a short period of time. First-line treatment for the catastrophic APS is the combination of anticoagulation plus corticosteroids plus plasma exchange and/or intravenous immunoglobulin. Despite this regimen, the mortality remains high and new treatment options are needed. By a systematic review of the Catastrophic APS Registry (CAPS Registry), we identified 20 patients treated with rituximab. The purpose of this study is to describe the clinical manifestations, laboratory features, and outcomes of rituximab-treated CAPS patients. In addition, the rationale for using rituximab in catastrophic APS is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Autoimmune Diseases, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Ignasi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Pintó
authors.forename: Ricard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cervera
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Morel
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Costedoat-Chalumeau
authors.forename: Doruk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erkan
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Espinosa
mesh_terms: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016736:Antiphospholipid Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D002388:Catastrophic Illness / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D012042:Registries; D000069283:Rituximab; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: Anti-CD20; Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome; Refractory; Rituximab