Polymyositis and pemphigus vulgaris in a patient: successful treatment with rituximab

Joint Bone Spine. 2008 Dec;75(6):728-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jbspin.2007.10.010. Epub 2008 May 1.

Abstract

Rituximab has been documented to be an effective treatment for autoimmune diseases with contribution of B cells. We report a case of antisynthetase syndrome with a history of EBV-induced lymphoma which developed a pemphigus vulgaris. Rituximab was effective both on polymyositis and on pemphigus. Fifteen months later, the patient died from a septic shock after the first cyclophosphamide infusion for amyloidosis while the B cell population remained depleted. Rituximab may be a good alternative to immunosuppressive drugs in polymyositis and pemphigus especially in lymphoma-risk patients. However, it did not prevent progression to secondary amyloidosis and the fatal infection developed in this patient raises the question of whether a prolonged B cell depletion with rituximab contributes to a greater risk of infection.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amyloidosis / complications
  • Amyloidosis / pathology
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Kidney Diseases / complications
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Ligases / immunology
  • Middle Aged
  • Pemphigus / drug therapy*
  • Pemphigus / immunology
  • Pemphigus / pathology
  • Polymyositis / drug therapy*
  • Polymyositis / immunology
  • Polymyositis / pathology
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Rituximab
  • Shock, Septic
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Rituximab
  • Ligases
  • Prednisone