title: Rituximab-induced Crohn's disease.
abstract: The use of rituximab has significantly improved outcomes in patients with haematological malignancies and autoimmune disease. There are reports of rituximab-associated ulcerative colitis; however, we report for the first time, two cases of rituximab-induced Crohn's disease in elderly patients treated for lymphoma. Both patients had evidence of inflammation, ulceration, and granulomas consistent with Crohn's disease, and responded well to immunosuppression. The association of rituximab and ileocolitis suggests a protective effect of CD20 + lymphocytes in the gut, and implicates their depletion to the development and exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gastroenterology , Cabrini Health , Malvern , Australia.
authors.forename: Poornima
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.affiliation: b Department of Haematology , Cabrini Health , Malvern , Australia.
authors.forename: Julianne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Falconer
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pathology , Cabrini Health , Malvern , Australia.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aga
authors.affiliation: b Department of Haematology , Cabrini Health , Malvern , Australia.|d Department of Medicine , Monash University , Clayton , Australia.
authors.forename: H Miles
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Prince
authors.affiliation: a Department of Gastroenterology , Cabrini Health , Malvern , Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pianko
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069283:Rituximab
keywords: Crohn’s disease; Rituximab; anti-CD20 therapy; inflammatory bowel disease; lymphoma