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Case report: renal recovery in Goodpasture’s syndrome treated with rituximab

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Abstract

Successful induction of remission in anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) glomerulonephritis can be obtained by using rituximab as a first-line immunosuppressive agent. We report the case of a 20-year-old male patient with Goodpasture’s (anti-GBM) syndrome, with poor prognostic factors at presentation including intra-alveolar hemorrhage and dialysis-dependent rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. The diagnosis was confirmed on kidney biopsy and serology (anti-GBM antibody titer). Rituximab was used as the first-line immunosuppressive agent in combination with pulse corticosteroids and plasmapheresis, to avoid potential side effects of cyclophosphamide. Anti-GBM antibody titers became undetectable after initiating rituximab. No adverse events were reported, and the patient became dialysis-independent after 6 months. This case reports the successful remission of a patient with Goodpasture’s syndrome after induction with rituximab.

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Author notes

  1. Stijn Arnaert and Niels Schepens are shared first authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, AZ Delta General Hospital, Deltalaan 1, B-8800, Roeselare, Belgium

    Stijn Arnaert, Niels Schepens & Thomas Malfait

  2. Department of Haematology, AZ Delta General Hospital, Roeselare, Belgium

    Lien Deleu

Authors
  1. Stijn Arnaert
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  2. Niels Schepens
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  3. Lien Deleu
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  4. Thomas Malfait
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Correspondence to Stijn Arnaert.

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Arnaert, S., Schepens, N., Deleu, L. et al. Case report: renal recovery in Goodpasture’s syndrome treated with rituximab. J Nephrol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40620-024-01892-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40620-024-01892-0

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