title: Rituximab Therapy for Childhood Pemphigus Vulgaris.
abstract: Pediatric pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a rare autoimmune bullous dermatosis that poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, is an important medication in adult PV but has rarely been used to treat pediatric disease. We describe successful rituximab therapy in a 4-year-old, the youngest patient with PV ever reported to receive rituximab. A live attenuated vaccination was later given without incident. We also review rituximab clinical outcomes, toxicity, dosing protocols, and relapse in children with PV.
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Section of Dermatology, Division of Pediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Leah
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kincaid
authors.affiliation: Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.|Section of Dermatology, Division of Pediatric Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weinstein
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab