Rituximab therapy improves recalcitrant Pemphigus vulgaris

Authors

  • Pedram Noormohammadpour Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Bullous Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Amirhooshang Ehsani Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Hossein Mortazavi Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Maryam Daneshpazhooh Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Kamran Balighi Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Mohammad Mofidi Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Fatemeh Gholamali Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  • Ali Sadeghinia Department of Dermatology, Razi Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-603

Keywords:

Pemphigus vulgaris, Rituximab, anti-desmoglein 1 antibody, nti-desmoglein 3 antibody, CD20 positive cells

Abstract

Pemphigus is a severe life-threatening blistering disease associated with autoantibodies against cell adhesion proteins desmogleins 1 and 3. Patients with severe pemphigus commonly show high rates of relapse after conventional immunosuppressive therapy. The newly developed drug Rituximab showed impressing promises in the treatment of refractory pemphigus vulgaris (PV). In the present study the efficacy of a single course rituximab therapy in the treatment of PV was investigated. Eighteen patients with severe recalcitrant PV were recruited to this study. Pemphigus disease activity index (PDAI), anti-desmoglein 1 and anti-desmoglein 3 antibody titers, and percent of CD20 positive cells were measured at baseline, 10 ± 1, and 22 ± 2 weeks after rituximab therapy. Rituximab was given intravenously at dose 375 mg/m2 once weekly for 4 weeks. Rituximab therapy caused a dramatic reduction in the PDAI, accompanied by decreases in anti-desmoglein 1 and anti-desmoglein 3 antibody titers over the follow-up course. The B-cell population decreased at the first follow-up, but returned to its baseline levels at the second follow-up. Rituximab therapy decreased the dose of immunosuppressive drugs required to control the disease. It seems that the rituximab may be effective and safe for treatment of refractory PV.

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Published

2015-01-21

How to Cite

Noormohammadpour, P., Ehsani, A., Mortazavi, H., Daneshpazhooh, M., Balighi, K., Mofidi, M., … Sadeghinia, A. (2015). Rituximab therapy improves recalcitrant Pemphigus vulgaris. EXCLI Journal, 14, 109–116. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2014-603

Issue

Vol. 14 (2015)

Section

Original articles

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