Experiences with rituximab for the treatment of autoimmune diseases with ocular involvement.
OBJECTIVE
To report the efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in the treatment of ocular or orbital inflammation accompanying autoimmune diseases refractory to previous standard immunosuppressive therapy.


METHODS
We reviewed medical records of 9 consecutive patients with noninfectious ocular or orbital inflammation treated with RTX.


RESULTS
Over a mean followup of 42 months, 7 patients were in clinical remission, 1 had partial response to treatment, and 1 did not respond. Best corrected visual acuity improved ≥ 1 line in 4 patients, was stable in another 4 patients, and worsened in 1. Concomitant immunosuppressive therapy was tapered in 6 cases. Systemic corticosteroids were tapered or kept below 7.5 mg a day in 5 patients 1 year after the first RTX cycle.


CONCLUSIONS
RTX therapy, in patients who are refractory to standard immunosuppressive therapy, was effective and showed a beneficial response to treatment including induction of clinical remission of inflammation in most patients.
From the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain; Department of Ophthalmology, Department of Nephrology, Interdisciplinary Uveitis Center, Rheumatology Department for Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany; and the Department of Ophthalmology, Triemli Spital, Zürich, Switzerland.
Laura
L
Pelegrin
Eva
E
Jakob
Annette
A
Schmidt-Bacher
Vedat
V
Schwenger
Matthias
M
Becker
Regina
R
Max
Hans Martin
HM
Lorenz
Friederike
F
Mackensen
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069283:Rituximab
CLINICAL REMISSION; GRANULOMATOUS POLYANGIITIS; OCULAR INFLAMMATION; ORBITAL INFLAMMATION; RITUXIMAB