Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Sjogren Syndrome Patients With Refractory Thrombocytopenia: A Retrospective Study of 21 Cases.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

Recent studies suggested a potential of rituximab (RTX) in treating autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) secondary to autoimmune diseases. In this study, we retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of RTX therapy in patients with refractory AITP secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and Sjögren syndrome (SS).

Methods

Twenty-one SLE and/or SS patients with treatment-resistant AITP were treated once or repeatedly with RTX at the Rheumatology Clinic Renji Hospital, during the period March 2012 to June 2014. Clinical and laboratory variables recorded at every follow-up visit were analyzed.

Results

The median age of all patients was 37.05 ± 3.15 years (range, 13-67 years; 20 female and 1 male). The median AITP duration before RTX treatment was 5.

SUBMITTER: Jiang B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4539196 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature