RESEARCH - Efficacy of B-cell depletion in RA patients refractory to anti-TNF agents

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Ann Rheum Dis. 2006 Mar 15; [Epub ahead of print]

Efficacy of B-cell Depletion in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Refractory to

Anti-Tumour Necrosis factor (TNF)- a Agents An open label observational

study.

Brulhart L, Ciurea A, Finckh A, Notter A, Waldburger JM, Kyburz D, Gabay C.

University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland.

About 30% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients fail to achieve a

significant clinical response to tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha

inhibitors (1). Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody, selectively

depletes human CD20-positive B-cells (2). In RA patients with incomplete

response to methotrexate (MTX), the addition of rituximab was superior to

MTX alone (3). We performed an observational study to assess the efficacy

and safety of selective B-cell depletion in the managment of RA patients

refractory to TNF- alpha inhibitors.

PMID: 16540545

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\

6540545 & dopt=Abstract

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