title: Off-label use of rituximab in systemic rheumatic diseases: case series and review.
abstract: B-cells play an important role not only in cellular but also in humoral immunity through differentiation into plasma cells and antibody production. B-cell depletion may, theoretically, change the course of systemic rheumatic diseases (SRD) in which self-reactive antibodies are part of the pathogenic pathway. In Rheumatology, anti-B-cell antibody Rituximab is currently licensed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, however there is growing evidence of its potential use in other SRD. The authors present a case series of eight patients in which Rituximab was used off-label including overlap syndrome Rhupus, systemic lupus erythematosus and Wegener's granulomatosis. In the end, a brief literature review about this subject is performed.
authors.forename: Filipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Inês
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sepriano
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nero
authors.forename: Jaime C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Branco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056687:Off-Label Use; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069283:Rituximab
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab