title: Effects of Low-Dose Rituximab Therapy in Patients With Primary Cytomegalovirus Infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cytomegalovirus infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality among recipients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell and solid-organ transplant. The risk of cytomegalovirus infection is high in cytomegalovirus-seronegative recipients of cytomegalovirus-seropositive organs (donor positive/recipient negative) and recipients with strong immunosuppressive status such as those receiving rituximab induction or antirejection treatment. However, it remains unclear how rituximab affects patients with primary cytomegalovirus infection. We evaluated the effects of low-dose rituximab therapy on clinical and immunologic outcomes in recipients who were donor positive but recipient negative for primary cytomegalovirus infections.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of patients with primary cytomegalovirus infections from January 2005 to March 2014. Patient outcomes were compared between groups administered given rituximab or given no intervention at the time of transplant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our study group included 49 recipients with primary cytomegalovirus infection, including 32 who received rituximab therapy (group 1) and 17 who did not (group 2). No significant differences were observed between groups in the duration of cytomegalovirus seroconversion (P = .0570) and initial cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G titers (P = .8418).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rituximab induction therapy does not affect clinical or immunologic outcomes of primary cytomegalovirus infection, even in high-risk recipients who are donor positive but recipient negative for primary cytomegalovirus infections.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Urology, Kidney Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Toki
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omoto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sirakawa
authors.forename: Tomokazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okumi
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D000069283:Rituximab