RESEARCH - Complete remission of lupus nephritis with rituximab and steroids for induction and rituximab alone for maintenancy therapy

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Am J Kidney Dis. 2008 Jun 20. [Epub ahead of print]

Complete Remission of Lupus Nephritis With Rituximab and Steroids for

Induction and Rituximab Alone for Maintenance Therapy.

Camous L, Melander C, Vallet M, Squalli T, Knebelmann B, Noël LH, Fakhouri F.

Department of Nephrology, Université Paris V-René Descartes, APHP,

Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France.

Lupus nephritis (LN) is a severe and frequent complication of systemic

lupus erythematosus. For decades, cyclophosphamide-based regimens have

been the gold standard in treating patients with LN. However,

cyclophosphamide use is associated with increased morbidity and

mortality, and thus alternative treatments are needed. We report 3

cases of severe class IV LN successfully treated with rituximab as an

induction, as well as a long-term maintenance, treatment. Complete

remission of LN, documented by means of a control kidney biopsy,

occurred in all patients and was maintained during follow-up using

rituximab as sole maintenance treatment. No severe infectious

complications were observed during treatment with rituximab. Our data

suggest that rituximab may prove to be an optimal maintenance

treatment in patients with severe LN.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18572292

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