title: A Case of Interstitial Lung Disease Probably Related to Rituximab Treatment.
abstract: A 44-year-old male developed interstitial lung disease (ILD) during treatment with rituximab (375 mg/m2weekly intravenous × 4 weeks) for the management of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). After 1 month of treatment he developed dyspnea, fever (38.9 °C), an increase of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cells with hypoxemia, and decreased platelets. Chest X-ray and high-resolution computed tomography revealed diffuse bilateral lung infiltrates. He was diagnosed with severe ILD; rituximab was discontinued, and treatment with fluticasone combined with salmeterol, methylprednisolone, and omeprazole was started, with an improvement of symptoms over 15 days with normalization in CRP at 30 days. A Naranjo assessment score of 6 was obtained, indicating a probable relationship between the patient's symptoms and the suspect drug. In conclusion, in ITP patients treated with rituximab, we suggest evaluating pulmonary endpoints through pharmaco-epidemiological observational studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, ASP Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calderazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy.|Operative Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance, Azienda Ospedaliera Mater Domini, Via T Campanella 115, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierandrea
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rende
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, ASP Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gambardella
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy.|Operative Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance, Azienda Ospedaliera Mater Domini, Via T Campanella 115, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovambattista
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Sarro
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Science, University of Catanzaro, Viale Europa, Catanzaro, Italy. gallelli@unicz.it.|Operative Unit of Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacovigilance, Azienda Ospedaliera Mater Domini, Via T Campanella 115, Catanzaro, Italy. gallelli@unicz.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallelli