title: [Lower dose of rituximab in the treatment of elderly autoimmune hemolytic anemia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the safety and efficacy of lower dose of rituximab in the treatment of elderly autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA).
  
  
  METHODS
  From May 2008 to February 2013, a total of 37 patients with newly diagnosed elderly AIHA patients were enrolled in the study, including 25 cases treated with prednisone 1 mg · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹ for 4 weeks and 12 cases ineligible for glucocorticoid receiving rituximab (100 mg/week for 4 times).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 25 patients with conventional glucocorticoid, 5 cases (20.0%) were complete remission (CR), 15 cases with partial remission (PR) and 5 cases without response. The overall response rate was 80.0%. Of the 12 cases with rituximab, 8 cases (66.7%) were CR, 3 cases with PR and 1 without response. The overall response rate was 91.7%. A significantly higher CR rate was seen in lower dose of rituximab, as compared to that in conventional glucocorticoid (P=0.038).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A lower dose of rituximab, with satisfactory safety and efficacy, was better than the conventional glucocorticoid in the treatment of elderly AIHA patients.
authors.affiliation: Xingtai People's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Xingtai 054000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaokun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Xingtai People's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Xingtai 054000, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069283:Rituximab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab; D011241:Prednisone