Xiaokun Zhang1, Jie Sun1. 1. Xingtai People's Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Xingtai 054000, China.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of lower dose of rituximab in the treatment of elderly autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). METHODS: From May 2008 to February 2013, a total of 37 patients with newly diagnosed elderly AIHA patients were enrolled in the study, including 25 cases treated with prednisone 1 mg · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹ for 4 weeks and 12 cases ineligible for glucocorticoid receiving rituximab (100 mg/week for 4 times). RESULTS: Of the 25 patients with conventional glucocorticoid, 5 cases (20.0%) were complete remission (CR), 15 cases with partial remission (PR) and 5 cases without response. The overall response rate was 80.0%. Of the 12 cases with rituximab, 8 cases (66.7%) were CR, 3 cases with PR and 1 without response. The overall response rate was 91.7%. A significantly higher CR rate was seen in lower dose of rituximab, as compared to that in conventional glucocorticoid (P=0.038). CONCLUSION: A lower dose of rituximab, with satisfactory safety and efficacy, was better than the conventional glucocorticoid in the treatment of elderly AIHA patients.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the safety and efficacy of lower dose of rituximab in the treatment of elderly autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). METHODS: From May 2008 to February 2013, a total of 37 patients with newly diagnosed elderly AIHA patients were enrolled in the study, including 25 cases treated with prednisone 1 mg · kg⁻¹ · d⁻¹ for 4 weeks and 12 cases ineligible for glucocorticoid receiving rituximab (100 mg/week for 4 times). RESULTS: Of the 25 patients with conventional glucocorticoid, 5 cases (20.0%) were complete remission (CR), 15 cases with partial remission (PR) and 5 cases without response. The overall response rate was 80.0%. Of the 12 cases with rituximab, 8 cases (66.7%) were CR, 3 cases with PR and 1 without response. The overall response rate was 91.7%. A significantly higher CR rate was seen in lower dose of rituximab, as compared to that in conventional glucocorticoid (P=0.038). CONCLUSION: A lower dose of rituximab, with satisfactory safety and efficacy, was better than the conventional glucocorticoid in the treatment of elderly AIHA patients.
Authors: Q Y Gao; C X Liu; Y Li; G X Peng; J P Li; Y Li; L Ye; H H Fan; L Song; L Zhang; L P Jing; K Zhou; X Zhao; W R Yang; Z J Wu; Y Yang; Y Z Xiong; F K Zhang Journal: Zhonghua Xue Ye Xue Za Zhi Date: 2017-12-14