title: Successful early rituximab treatment in a case of systemic lupus erythematosus with potentially fatal diffuse alveolar hemorrhage.
abstract: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare but devastating complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with a high early mortality rate. DAH seldom occurs without active organ involvement. Recently, rituximab (RTX), a B cell-targeted therapy, has been reported to be effective for life-threatening autoimmune diseases. We describe a SLE patient who presented with acute respiratory failure due to DAH without other active organ involvement. This condition was dramatically improved with RTX without cyclophosphamide.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Ock
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Na
authors.forename: Sung Hae
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ki-Hyeon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Jae Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Ho Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lyu
authors.forename: Seoung-Su
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab