Rituximab provides long-term benefit in systemic sclerosis

Treatment with rituximab was associated with significantly improved skin and lung fibrosis in systemic sclerosis over approximately 2 years, according to a study.

In this single-center cohort study, data from 29 patients with SSc enrolled in the DESIRES trial who opted to continue to receive rituximab were analyzed after a median follow-up of 96 weeks.

After 1 course of rituximab significant improvement in modified Rodnan skin score (MRSS) were noted and after 3 courses, significant improvement in the percentage of predicted forced vital capacity (FVC%) were observed. These improvements were sustained during follow-up.

The 16 patients who had MRSS improvement of ≥9 had a greater decrease in serum levels of IgG and IgA compared with the 13 patients who had MRSS improvement of≤8.

The authors note that a “decrease in serum IgA levels significantly correlated with the improvement in MRSS.”

Reference
Kuzumi A, Ebata S, Fukasawa T, et al. Long-term Outcomes After Rituximab Treatment for Patients With Systemic Sclerosis: Follow-up of the DESIRES Trial With a Focus on Serum Immunoglobulin Levels. JAMA Dermatol. Published online February 15, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2022.6340