Rituximab for refractory eosinophilic fasciitis: a case series with long-term follow-up and literature review. 2021

Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
Department of Rheumatology, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, University Hospital of Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece. nkougas@yahoo.gr.

RTX could be an effective and safe alternative treatment for refractory EF. Rituximab (RTX) is a successful therapeutic option for various autoimmune diseases. Our aim is to report our experience with RTX in eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) and review published data on its efficacy for the treatment of EF. We reviewed the medical charts of all patients with a diagnosis of EF treated with RTX from 2008 to 2020 in the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology in the University Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. We also reviewed the English literature for cases of EF treated with RTX. Demographics, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, prior treatments, response to RTX, cumulative RTX dose, duration of treatment and follow-up are reported. We report three cases of EF refractory to conventional DMARDs (cDMARDs) that responded to RTX. Furthermore, literature review revealed five cases. In our case series in all patients, RTX was the first biologic. RTX could be effective in cases of (EF) refractory to standard immunosuppressive treatment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007166 Immunosuppressive Agents Agents that suppress immune function by one of several mechanisms of action. Classical cytotoxic immunosuppressants act by inhibiting DNA synthesis. Others may act through activation of T-CELLS or by inhibiting the activation of HELPER CELLS. While immunosuppression has been brought about in the past primarily to prevent rejection of transplanted organs, new applications involving mediation of the effects of INTERLEUKINS and other CYTOKINES are emerging. Immunosuppressant,Immunosuppressive Agent,Immunosuppressants,Agent, Immunosuppressive,Agents, Immunosuppressive
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D004802 Eosinophilia Abnormal increase of EOSINOPHILS in the blood, tissues or organs. Eosinophilia, Tropical,Hypereosinophilia,Tropical Eosinophilia,Hypereosinophilias,Tropical Eosinophilias
D005208 Fasciitis Inflammation of the fascia. There are three major types: 1, Eosinophilic fasciitis, an inflammatory reaction with eosinophilia, producing hard thickened skin with an orange-peel configuration suggestive of scleroderma and considered by some a variant of scleroderma; 2, Necrotizing fasciitis (FASCIITIS, NECROTIZING), a serious fulminating infection (usually by a beta hemolytic streptococcus) causing extensive necrosis of superficial fascia; 3, Nodular/Pseudosarcomatous /Proliferative fasciitis, characterized by a rapid growth of fibroblasts with mononuclear inflammatory cells and proliferating capillaries in soft tissue, often the forearm; it is not malignant but is sometimes mistaken for fibrosarcoma. Fascitis,Fasciitides,Fascitides
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000069283 Rituximab A murine-derived monoclonal antibody and ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENT that binds specifically to the CD20 ANTIGEN and is used in the treatment of LEUKEMIA; LYMPHOMA and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. CD20 Antibody, Rituximab,GP2013,IDEC-C2B8,IDEC-C2B8 Antibody,Mabthera,Rituxan,IDEC C2B8,IDEC C2B8 Antibody,Rituximab CD20 Antibody
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes

Related Publications

Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
June 2022, Pediatric pulmonology,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
November 2006, JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
August 2010, Dermatology (Basel, Switzerland),
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
May 2018, International journal of dermatology,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
August 2020, Neuromodulation : journal of the International Neuromodulation Society,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
August 2018, Muscle & nerve,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
September 2011, Clinical rheumatology,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
February 2013, Rheumatology (Oxford, England),
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
April 2014, International journal of hematology,
Nikolaos Kougkas, and George Bertsias, and Ioannis Papalopoulos, and Argiro Repa, and Prodromos Sidiropoulos, and Nestor Avgoustidis
April 2021, Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery,
Copied contents to your clipboard!