Remission of refractory lupus nephritis with a protocol including rituximab.
- 1 October 2003
- journal article
- case report
- Published by SAGE Publications in Lupus
- Vol. 12 (10), 783-787
- https://doi.org/10.1191/0961203303lu453cr
Abstract
Immunosuppression with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide is the standard of care for lupus nephritis. We report a 19-year old woman with lupus nephritis and nephrotic syndrome who had not achieved complete remission after treatment with 15.7g cyclophosphamideand 13.7g prednisone.We planned a consolidation phase with: 1) cyclophosphamide 20mg/kg i.v. every 28 days for three cycles; 2) anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody (rituximab) 375mg/m2i.v. weekly for four weeks; and 3) slow tapering of prednisone p.o., q.o.d., after a reinduction dose during rituximab administration. At the end of this phase the patient achieved complete remission. An indefinite maintenance treatment with methotrexate, cyclosporin and low-dose prednisone was then started. Twenty-four months later the patient remains in remission. In the immunosuppressive treatment of lupusnephritisthe insertionof a consolidationphasewith rituximab combinedwith cyclophosphamide achieves a therapeutically important and lasting deletion of the lymphocyte clone responsible for autoimmunity.Keywords
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