We report a case of dermatomyositis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto thyroiditis, and diabetes mellitus responsive only to combination of rituximab with mycophenolate. A 42-year-old woman presented with proximal muscle weakness, myalgias, fever, night sweats, and shortness of breath. Creatinine kinase was 8155 IU/L, and muscle biopsy was diagnostic of dermatomyositis. She was started on glucocorticoids; her systemic symptoms improved, but her muscle weakness persisted. She was serially treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, azathioprine, and mycophenolate mofetil without improvement in her weakness. She responded dramatically to combination therapy with rituximab and mycophenolate, with improvement in strength and normalization of creatinine kinase. She has been well controlled on rituximab infusion every 6 months and maintenance mycophenolate mofetil.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/CND.0b013e318221259d | DOI Listing |
Rheumatology (Oxford)
January 2025
Centre for Rheumatology, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc)-interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in SSc. Data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) supports rituximab and tocilizumab monotherapy but there is limited data regarding their use for those who fail standard immunomodulatory therapies.
Methods: SSc patients treated with rituximab or tocilizumab were retrospectively identified in a single centre cohort.
Acta Derm Venereol
January 2025
Department of Dermatology, Sheba Medical Center, Tel HaShomer, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Pemphigus vulgaris is a chronic autoimmune blistering disease with significant morbidity. Rituximab, approved as its first-line treatment, effectively induces remission. However, few studies have analysed the prognostic factors for improved rituximab outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Med Case Rep
December 2024
Faculty of Medicine, Al-Quds University, Jerusalem, Palestine.
Background: Evans syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the simultaneous or sequential combination of autoimmune hemolytic anemia and immunological thrombocytopenia, together with a positive direct antiglobulin test. This syndrome, which can be primary or secondary, is a rare initial manifestation of autoimmune diseases, notably systemic lupus erythematosus, with 1.7-2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPediatr Nephrol
December 2024
Department of Pediatric Nephrology, Great North Children Hospital, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.
Background: Optimal dosing of rituximab when given with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) for frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome/steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome (FRNS/SDNS) remains uncertain.
Methods: This was a prospective, non-inferiority, open-label randomized controlled multicentre study. Children (2-18 years old) with difficult FRNS/SDNS were randomized to group A (rituximab 375 mg/m once) or group B (rituximab 375 mg/m twice; 7-14 days apart) followed by continuous MMF and 3 months of tapered steroids.
Front Neurol
December 2024
Department of Translational Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Autoimmune nodopathy (AN) is a rare immune-mediated neuropathy characterized by autoantibodies against nodal or paranodal proteins. Patients with AN generally respond poorly to immunoglobulin therapy, and as a newly defined condition, there are currently no established treatment guidelines. Although rituximab shows potential as a therapeutic option, its high cost, limited availability, and the need for infusion monitoring hinder its use as a first-line treatment in many countries.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!