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Activity and safety profile of low-dose rituximab for the treatment of autoimmune cytopenias in adults

From Department of Haematology, Bart’s & The London, Queen Mary’s School of Medicine and Dentistry, Whitechapel, London, UK (DP, TB, ACN); Department of Medical Sciences, Ospedale "Regina Apostolorum", Albano Laziale (MLE, RS); Dept. of Hematology, "Tor Vergata" University Hospital, Rome, Italy (SA)

Correspondence: Adrian Newland, Department of Haematology, The Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London El 2ES, UK. E-mail: a.c.newland{at}qmul.ac.uk

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 11 consecutive patients with various autoimmune cytopenias who failed to respond to conventional treatments and received a fixed-dose regimen of rituximab (100 mg weekly for 4 consecutive weeks). Sustained complete responses were achieved in 4 out of 7 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and in 1 patient with autoimmune pancytopenia. A partial response was observed in 1 patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia. The immunotherapy had no effect in 1 patient with pure red cell aplasia or in 1 patient with autoimmune neutropenia. No infusion-related or delayed toxicities attributable to rituximab were experienced by any of the patients.

Key words: autoimmune disease, cytopenias, rituximab, low dose.

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