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Rituximab in life threatening antisynthetase syndrome

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Abstract

This case study reports a patient with severe interstitial pneumonitis, mild polyarthritis and polymyositis, accompanied by the presence of anti-Jo-1 antibodies diagnosed as antisynthetase syndrome. The concurrence of anti-Jo-1 with anti-Ro/SSA antibodies leads to a more severe form of interstitial lung disease. This patient was referred to our hospital because of life threatening respiratory failure. He was refractory to glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide, but was successfully treated with two sequential infusions of rituximab. Clinical condition improved very rapidly. Response to treatment was well correlated with a fall of levels of serum soluble IL2-receptor. A decrease in pulmonary disease activity was visualized on PET-scans before and after two sequential rituximab infusions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonology, University Hospital Ghent, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    E. Vandenbroucke

  2. Department of Pulmonology, Heart Lung Center Utrecht, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    J. C. Grutters & J. M. M. van den Bosch

  3. Department of Pulmonology, Medical Center Alkmaar, Alkmaar, The Netherlands

    J. Altenburg & W. G. Boersma

  4. Department of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, St. Antonius Hospital, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

    E. J. ter Borg

Authors
  1. E. Vandenbroucke
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  2. J. C. Grutters
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  3. J. Altenburg
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  4. W. G. Boersma
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  5. E. J. ter Borg
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  6. J. M. M. van den Bosch
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Correspondence to E. Vandenbroucke.

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Vandenbroucke, E., Grutters, J.C., Altenburg, J. et al. Rituximab in life threatening antisynthetase syndrome. Rheumatol Int 29, 1499–1502 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-009-0859-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-009-0859-x

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