Retrospective analysis of the long-term therapeutic effectiveness and safety profile of rituximab in the treatment of mucous membrane pemphigoid in a German university center between 2008 and 2019.

Background: The B-cell-depleting anti-CD20 antibody rituximab (RTX) is often used as an adjuvant drug for the treatment of refractory cases of mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP).

Objective: This study aims to determine the therapeutic effectiveness and the safety profile of RTX in MMP.

Methods: The medical records of all cases of MMP treated with RTX between 2008 and 2019 in our university medical center located in northern Germany, which specialized in autoimmune blistering skin diseases, were retrieved and systemically analyzed for treatment responses and potential adverse events over a median period of 27 months.