Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring

Kiki van Bilsen; Daphne P C Vergouwen; Mirjam E J van Velthoven; Tom O A R Missotten; Saskia M Rombach; Menno C van Zelm; Magdalena A Berkowska; P Martin van Hagen; Robert W A M Kuijpers; Jan A M van Laar

doi:10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900

Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring

Kiki van Bilsen, Daphne P C Vergouwen, Mirjam E J van Velthoven, Tom O A R Missotten, Saskia M Rombach, Menno C van Zelm, Magdalena A Berkowska, P Martin van Hagen, Robert W A M Kuijpers, Jan A M van Laar

Medical retina and Uveitis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

PURPOSE: We report the long-term effect of rituximab (RTX) in scleritis and determine the value of B-cell monitoring for the prediction of relapses.

METHODS: We retrospectively studied 10 patients with scleritis, who were treated with RTX. Clinical characteristics were collected, and blood B-cell counts were measured before the start of RTX, and at various time points after treatment.

RESULTS: Clinical activity of scleritis decreased after RTX treatment in all patients within a median time of 8 weeks (range 3-13), and all reached remission. The median follow-up was 101 months (range 9-138). Relapses occurred in 6 out of 10 patients. All relapses, where B-cell counts were measured (11 out of 19), were heralded by returning B cells. However, B cells also returned in patients with long-term remissions.

CONCLUSIONS: RTX is a promising therapeutic option for scleritis. Recurrence of B cells after initial depletion does not always predict relapse of scleritis.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	Ocular Immunology and Inflammation
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 12 Jul 2023

Access to Document

10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900

Cite this

van Bilsen, K., Vergouwen, D. P. C., van Velthoven, M. E. J., Missotten, T. O. A. R., Rombach, S. M., van Zelm, M. C., Berkowska, M. A., van Hagen, P. M., Kuijpers, R. W. A. M., & van Laar, J. A. M. (2023). Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring. Ocular Immunology and Inflammation, 1-6. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900

@article{df13bda4a26c430a8b433548fdee862c,

title = "Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring",

abstract = "PURPOSE: We report the long-term effect of rituximab (RTX) in scleritis and determine the value of B-cell monitoring for the prediction of relapses.METHODS: We retrospectively studied 10 patients with scleritis, who were treated with RTX. Clinical characteristics were collected, and blood B-cell counts were measured before the start of RTX, and at various time points after treatment.RESULTS: Clinical activity of scleritis decreased after RTX treatment in all patients within a median time of 8 weeks (range 3-13), and all reached remission. The median follow-up was 101 months (range 9-138). Relapses occurred in 6 out of 10 patients. All relapses, where B-cell counts were measured (11 out of 19), were heralded by returning B cells. However, B cells also returned in patients with long-term remissions.CONCLUSIONS: RTX is a promising therapeutic option for scleritis. Recurrence of B cells after initial depletion does not always predict relapse of scleritis.",

keywords = "B cells, B-cell depletion, refractory scleritis, rituximab, systemic immunosuppressive treatment",

author = "\{van Bilsen\}, Kiki and Vergouwen, \{Daphne P C\} and \{van Velthoven\}, \{Mirjam E J\} and Missotten, \{Tom O A R\} and Rombach, \{Saskia M\} and \{van Zelm\}, \{Menno C\} and Berkowska, \{Magdalena A\} and \{van Hagen\}, \{P Martin\} and Kuijpers, \{Robert W A M\} and \{van Laar\}, \{Jan A M\}",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900",

language = "English",

pages = "1--6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring

AU - van Bilsen, Kiki

AU - Vergouwen, Daphne P C

AU - van Velthoven, Mirjam E J

AU - Missotten, Tom O A R

AU - Rombach, Saskia M

AU - van Zelm, Menno C

AU - Berkowska, Magdalena A

AU - van Hagen, P Martin

AU - Kuijpers, Robert W A M

AU - van Laar, Jan A M

PY - 2023/7/12

Y1 - 2023/7/12

N2 - PURPOSE: We report the long-term effect of rituximab (RTX) in scleritis and determine the value of B-cell monitoring for the prediction of relapses.METHODS: We retrospectively studied 10 patients with scleritis, who were treated with RTX. Clinical characteristics were collected, and blood B-cell counts were measured before the start of RTX, and at various time points after treatment.RESULTS: Clinical activity of scleritis decreased after RTX treatment in all patients within a median time of 8 weeks (range 3-13), and all reached remission. The median follow-up was 101 months (range 9-138). Relapses occurred in 6 out of 10 patients. All relapses, where B-cell counts were measured (11 out of 19), were heralded by returning B cells. However, B cells also returned in patients with long-term remissions.CONCLUSIONS: RTX is a promising therapeutic option for scleritis. Recurrence of B cells after initial depletion does not always predict relapse of scleritis.

AB - PURPOSE: We report the long-term effect of rituximab (RTX) in scleritis and determine the value of B-cell monitoring for the prediction of relapses.METHODS: We retrospectively studied 10 patients with scleritis, who were treated with RTX. Clinical characteristics were collected, and blood B-cell counts were measured before the start of RTX, and at various time points after treatment.RESULTS: Clinical activity of scleritis decreased after RTX treatment in all patients within a median time of 8 weeks (range 3-13), and all reached remission. The median follow-up was 101 months (range 9-138). Relapses occurred in 6 out of 10 patients. All relapses, where B-cell counts were measured (11 out of 19), were heralded by returning B cells. However, B cells also returned in patients with long-term remissions.CONCLUSIONS: RTX is a promising therapeutic option for scleritis. Recurrence of B cells after initial depletion does not always predict relapse of scleritis.

KW - B cells

KW - B-cell depletion

KW - refractory scleritis

KW - rituximab

KW - systemic immunosuppressive treatment

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/0eb149a5-7a31-347f-9bf0-48dd1086947a/

U2 - 10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900

DO - 10.1080/09273948.2023.2229900

M3 - Article

C2 - 37437135

SN - 0927-3948

SP - 1

EP - 6

JO - Ocular Immunology and Inflammation

JF - Ocular Immunology and Inflammation

ER -

Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients with Scleritis After Rituximab Treatment Including B Cell Monitoring

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this