Rituximab for the therapy of systemic sclerosis: a series of 10 cases in a single center

Abstract Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a high morbidity and mortality. Although cyclophosphamide is effective for severe and refractory cases, there is demand for new treatments. The biological treatment with B-cell depletion with rituximab (RTX) has demonstrated efficacy for this demand in open-label studies. Objective This study was conducted with the aim to retrospectively evaluate all patients who used RTX for the treatment of SSc in our center. Patients and methods We retrospectively evaluated medical records of all patients with SSc who used RTX to treat this disease from January 2009 to January 2015. Systemic, cutaneous, and pulmonary involvement data and laboratory results before and six months after the first infusion of RTX were collected. Results Ten patients received treatment during the study period and were included in this series. All patients had a diffuse form of the disease. Five patients suffered from an early (duration of disease shorter or equal to four years), rapidly progressive disease, and another five received RTX at late stages of the disease. In both groups of patients, stabilization of the pulmonary picture was observed, with a fall in the skin score in those patients with early forms of the disease. Discussion Similar to findings in previous studies, RTX was effective in treating early and rapidly progressive forms of SSc. We also found that patients with long-term illness may benefit from the treatment

Recommendations for the management and treatment of systemic sclerosis

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Recommendations for the management and treatment of systemic sclerosis

Descrição do método de elaboração das evidênciasOs integrantes da Comissão de Esclerose Sistêmica da Sociedade Brasileira de Reumatologia (biênio 2010-2012) participaram do Curso de Elaboração de Evidências da Associação Médica Brasileira, em São Paulo, durante o primeiro semestre de 2011. As questões foram propostas e discutidas pela internet, no segundo semestre de 2011. As 15 questões clínicas consideradas relevantes foram estruturadas por meio da estratégia do P.I.C.O. (Paciente; Intervenção ou Indicador; Comparação; Outcome). As estratégias de busca avaliaram as bases de dados MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scielo/Lilacs, Cochrane Library até setembro de 2012 (Apêndice). Os artigos selecionados na primeira estratégia de busca foram submetidos à avaliação crítica das evidências, utilizando-se o escore de Jadad. Foram considerados também estudos observacionais e séries de casos na ausência de ensaios clínicos randomizados. Foi realizada inserção de estudos relevantes obtidos por busca manual. Posteriormente, foram elaboradas as respostas às perguntas das Recomendações, em que cada referência bibliográfica selecionada apresentava o correspondente grau de recomendação e força de evidência científica. Para as Recomendações finais, as referências bibliográficas foram atualizadas até dezembro de 2012, redigidas em texto único pelo coordenador, e submetidas aos coautores em quatro turnos, para elaboração do texto final.Grau de recomendação e força de evidênciaA:Estudos experimentais e observacionais de melhor consistência.B:Estudos experimentais e observacionais de menor consistência.C:Relatos de casos (estudos não controlados).D:Opinião desprovida de avaliação crítica, baseada em consensos, estudos fisiológicos ou modelos animais.ObjetivoEstabelecer as recomendações para o manejo e para o tratamento da esclerose sistêmica

Outcomes of patients with systemic sclerosis treated with rituximab in contemporary practice: a prospective cohort study.

Objective To assess the safety and efficacy of rituximab in systemic sclerosis (SSc) in clinical practice. Methods We performed a prospective study including patients with SSc from the European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) network treated with rituximab and matched with untreated patients with SSc. The main outcomes measures were adverse events, skin fibrosis improvement, lung fibrosis worsening and steroids use among propensity score-matched patients treated or not with rituximab. Results 254 patients were treated with rituximab, in 58% for lung and in 32% for skin involvement. After a median follow-up of 2 years, about 70% of the patients had no side effect. Comparison of treated patients with 9575 propensity-score matched patients showed that patients treated with rituximab were more likely to have skin fibrosis improvement (22.7 vs 14.03 events per 100 person-years; OR: 2.79 [1.47-5.32]; p=0.002). Treated patients did not have significantly different rates of decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC)>10% (OR: 1.03 [0.55-1.94]; p=0.93) nor in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) decrease. Patients having received rituximab were more prone to stop or decrease steroids (OR: 2.34 [1.56-3.53], p<0.0001). Patients treated concomitantly with mycophenolate mofetil had a trend for better outcomes as compared with patients receiving rituximab alone (delta FVC: 5.22 [0.83-9.62]; p=0.019 as compared with controls vs 3 [0.66-5.35]; p=0.012). Conclusion Rituximab use was associated with a good safety profile in this large SSc-cohort. Significant change was observed on skin fibrosis, but not on lung. However, the limitation is the observational design. The potential stabilisation of lung fibrosis by rituximab has to be addressed by a randomised trial