Treatment options for refractory Wegener's granulo...[Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2007]

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1: Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2007 Nov;8(11):927-32.Links

Treatment options for refractory Wegener's granulomatosis: a role for rituximab?

Antoniu SA.

Gr T Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Division of Pulmonary Disease, 30 Dr I Cihac Str, Iasi 700115, Romania. saantoniu@pneumo.umfiasi.ro

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a small-vessel vasculitis of unknown etiology, involving mainly the upper airways, lungs and kidneys. Organ inflammatory damage is mediated by anti-neutrophil cytoplasm antibodies, and their detection is a component of the diagnostic work-up as well as clinical signs and symptoms, and histopathological biopsy abnormalities. Conventional therapeutic regimens, such as cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids, can be used to induce and maintain disease remission. Alternatively, other cytotoxic agents (eg, methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil), anti-TNFalpha agents (eg, infliximab or etanercept) or anti-lymphocyte antibodies (eg, rituximab) can be used. Rituximab, a mAb which targets CD20+ B-cells, is currently used in the treatment non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis, and is being investigated for refractory WG therapy and other autoimmune diseases.

PMID: 17979026 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

ReviewPharmacological therapy for Wegener's granulomatosis. [Drugs. 2006]
Rituximab for refractory Wegener's granulomatosis. [Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2006]
Anti-CD20 therapy of treatment-resistant Wegener's granulomatosis: favourable but temporary response. [Scand J Rheumatol. 2005]
Response of Wegener's granulomatosis to anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody therapy. [Arthritis Rheum. 2001]
ReviewRituximab: a review of its use in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. [Drugs. 2003]

Patient Drug Information

Cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan®, Neosar®) Your doctor has ordered the drug cyclophosphamide to help treat your illness. The drug can be taken by mouth in tablet form or be given by injection into a vein.

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Methotrexate (Rheumatrex®, Trexall®) Your doctor has ordered methotrexate to help treat your illness. Methotrexate comes as a tablet to take by mouth. Your doctor will tell you how often you should take methotrexate. The schedule depends on the condition y...

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Mycophenolate (CellCept®, Myfortic®) Mycophenolate (Cellcept) is used with other medications to prevent transplant rejection (attack of the transplanted organ by the transplant recipient's immune system) in people who have received kidney, heart, and liver ...

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Treatment options for refractory Wegener's granulomatosis: a role for rituximab?

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