Long-term successful treatment of rituximab for steroid-resistant minimal change nephrotic syndrome and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Abstract

A 22-year-old woman had been diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) 5 years earlier. After undergoing splenectomy, she relapsed frequently following prednisolone tapering. She was complicated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) while taking 20 mg of prednisolone. Despite treatment with prednisolone, cyclosporin and low-density lipoprotein-apheresis, MCNS and ITP did not improve. We added rituximab in 4 weekly infusions of 375 mg/m2. MCNS and ITP were in complete remission. After administering rituximab once, all medicines were discontinued. No relapse had occurred by 50 months following the first rituximab administration. Rituximab affects steroid-resistant MCNS and ITP for a long time without complications.