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 -