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Rituximab treatment of the anti-synthetase syndrome—a retrospective case series
Rheumatology, 06/22/09

Sem M et al. – This retrospective case series indicates a short-term beneficial effect of rituximab in anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS). Prospective, controlled studies are needed to validate this finding and further assess safety issues.

• A retrospective case series to assess ASS pts with interstitial lung disease (ILD) treated with rituximab
• 11 ASS pts; data on clinical and laboratory parameters, lung imaging by high-resolution CT thorax and pulmonary function tests were collected, 6 mo pre-treatment, and 3 and 6 mo post-treatment

• All 11 ASS pts had severe and progressive ILD and most of them had previously failed on cyclophosphamide and/or other immuno-modulating agents
• Rituximab appeared to stabilize and/or improve the ILD in 7/11 ASS pts during the first 6 mo after treatment
• Rituximab treatment appeared to decrease the serum level of anti-Jo-1 Ab, but the decrease was most often modest
• One patient developed a fatal infection 3 mo after the last infusion with rituximab
• In the other ASS pts, the treatment was well tolerated

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