Rituximab in the treatment of primary glomerulopathies – our experience

Česká verzia

Authors: Karol Graňák ¹; Matej Vnučák ¹; Margaréta Pytliaková ²; Udovít Laca ¹; Marián Mokáň ³; Ivana Dedinská ¹
Authors place of work: Chirurgická klinika a Transplantačné centrum, Univerzitná nemocnica Martin a Jesseniova lekárska fakulta, Univerzity Komenského ¹; Klinika anesteziológie a intenzívnej medicíny, Univerzitná nemocnica Martin a Jesseniova lekárska fakulta, Univerzity Komenského ²; I. interná klinika, Univerzitná nemocnica Martin a Jesseniova lekárska fakulta Univerzity Komenského ³
Published in the journal: Vnitř Lék 2021; 67(E-3): 3-7
Category: Original Contributions

Summary

Introduction: Since 2012, when The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) initiative published the first recommendations for the management and treatment of glomerular diseases, there has been enormous progress in understanding pathogenesis, identifying new diagnostic biomarkers and treating these diseases. Rituximab had become a promisisng treatment option in patients with primary glomerular disease, as confirmed by several clinical studies, where it has led to a significant reduction in proteinuria and a reduction in the incidence of relapses of the underlying disease. In this work we present our experiences with rituximab treatment.

Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed 9 patients with primary glomerulopathy resistant to srandard immunosuppressive therapy who received rituximab as rescue treatment. We evaluated the effect of rituximab induction treatment on the development of quantitative proteinuria.

Results: By evaluating the 24-hour proteinuria before and after treatment, we demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in proteinuria in our group of patients immediately after the las dose of rituximab. We did not notice a significant change in renal function.

Conclusion: Rituximab represents an effective alternative in the treatment of primary glomerulopathies, especially in cases of resistance to standard immunosuppressive therapy, which is shared by the clinical experience presented by us.

Keywords:

primary glomerulopathy – Proteinuria – rituximab

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