Treatment of refractory chronic GVHD with rituximab: a GITMO study

Bone Marrow Transplant. 2007 Aug;40(3):273-7. doi: 10.1038/sj.bmt.1705725. Epub 2007 Jun 4.

Abstract

The anti-CD20 chimaeric monoclonal antibody Rituximab has recently been shown to induce significant clinical response in a proportion of patients with refractory chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). We now report 38 patients, median age 48 years (22-61), receiving Rituximab for refractory cGVHD, assessed for clinical response and survival. Median duration of cGVHD before Rituximab was 23 months (range 2-116), the median number of failed treatment lines was 3 (range 1 to > or =6) and the median follow-up after Rituximab was 11 months (1-88). Overall response rate was 65%: skin 17/20 (63%), mouth 10/21 (48%), eyes 6/14 (43%), liver 3/12 (25%), lung 3/8 (37.5%), joints 4/5, gut 3/4, thrombocytopaenia 2/3, vagina 0/2, pure red cell aplasia 0/1 and, myasthenia gravis 1/1. During the study period 8/38 died: causes of death were cGVHD progression (n=3), disease relapse (n=1), infection (n=3), sudden death (n=1). The actuarial 2 year survival is currently 76%. We confirm that Rituximab is effective in over 50% of patients with refractory cGVHD and may have a beneficial impact on survival.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Chronic Disease
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Graft vs Host Disease / drug therapy*
  • Graft vs Host Disease / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / mortality*
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / complications
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Hematologic Neoplasms / therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Rituximab
  • Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Rituximab