Rituximab and its use in autoimmune bullous disorders

Benjamin S Daniel; Dédée F Murrell; Pascal Joly

doi:10.1016/j.iac.2012.04.013

Rituximab and its use in autoimmune bullous disorders

Immunol Allergy Clin North Am. 2012 May;32(2):331-7, viii. doi: 10.1016/j.iac.2012.04.013. Epub 2012 Apr 18.

Authors

Benjamin S Daniel¹, Dédée F Murrell, Pascal Joly

Affiliation

¹ Department of Dermatology, St George Hospital, Gray Street, Kogarah, Sydney, NSW 2217, Australia.

PMID: 22560146
DOI: 10.1016/j.iac.2012.04.013

Abstract

Rituximab is a chimeric, murine-human, monoclonal antibody against the CD20 antigen of B lymphocytes. It has been used off-label to treat and manage autoimmune and dermatologic diseases as an alternative or adjuvant therapy to systemic treatments. Due to cost, potential complications, and lack of data rituximab is used after standard systemic therapies have failed or the patient is absolutely contraindicated for corticosteroids. More research is required.

MeSH terms

Animals
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / adverse effects
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / therapeutic use*
Antigens, CD20 / immunology
Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy*
Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
B-Lymphocytes / drug effects*
B-Lymphocytes / immunology
Humans
Immunosuppression Therapy
Lymphocyte Depletion
Rituximab
Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / drug therapy*
Skin Diseases, Vesiculobullous / immunology

Substances

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
Antigens, CD20
Rituximab