Experience in rituximab administration in children with systemic lupus erythematosus: A retrospective study of the case series

Abstract

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in children has unpredictable and severe course. There is currently no standard therapy for the treatment of the disease. The article presents the results of a retrospective study of rituximab efficiency in 16 children with SLE aged 5 to 16 years who were hospitalized. Rituximab was administered to patients with a severe life-threatening course of the disease when the hormone-cytostatic therapy was ineffective or the reduction of the daily dose of corticosteroids was impossible. The administered drug dose was 375 mg/m2 weekly during 4 weeks. The therapy with rituximab is noted with a clinically significant decrease in the values of laboratory parameters of the disease activity, SLEDAI, ECLAM disease activity indices, SLICC/ACR impairment index, as well as a daily dose of corticosteroids. 1 case of pneumonia and 2 cases of death associated with generalized mycotic infection are reported.