Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a chronic, multisystem disease, characterized by a small vessel vasculitis. First line tehrapy is cyclophosphamide. Despite the use of other immunosuppressive agents, including methotrexate, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil, to maintain remission, relapse often occurs – with many patients requiring further courses of cyclophosphamide over many years.
Rituximab is being tested in a wide variety of small vessel vascultides but no prospective studies have been done in any of them, to my knowlledge. One pilot trial for Wegener's showed a high response rate in a small group of patients. This is similar to what the state of the field is in other similar conditions vis. Rituxan.
Alistair J. Ferraro , Clara J. Day , Mark T. Drayson , and Caroline O. Savage
Effective therapeutic use of rituximab in refractory Wegener's granulomatosis
Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. 20: 622-625
C M G Cheung, P I Murray, and C O S Savage
Successful treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis associated scleritis with rituximab
Br J Ophthalmol, November 1, 2005; 89(11): 1542 - 1542.
K. A. Keogh, S. R. Ytterberg, F. C. Fervenza, K. A. Carlson, D. R. Schroeder, and U. Specks Rituximab for Refractory Wegener's Granulomatosis: Report of a Prospective, Open-Label Pilot Trial
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2006; 173(2): 180 - 187.
Despina Eleftheriou , Marianna Melo , Stephen D. Marks , Kjell Tullus , John Sills , Gavin Cleary , Pavla Dolezalova , Seza Ozen , Clarissa Pilkington , Pat Woo , Nigel Klein , Michael J. Dillon , and Paul A. Brogan
Biologic therapy in primary systemic vasculitis of the young
Rheumatology Advance Access published on August 1, 2009, DOI 10.1093/rheumatology/kep148.
Rheumatology 48: 978-986.
Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is a chronic, multisystem disease, characterized by a small vessel vasculitis. First line tehrapy is cyclophosphamide. Despite the use of other immunosuppressive agents, including methotrexate, azathioprine and mycophenolate mofetil, to maintain remission, relapse often occurs – with many patients requiring further courses of cyclophosphamide over many years.
Rituximab is being tested in a wide variety of small vessel vascultides but no prospective studies have been done in any of them, to my knowlledge. One pilot trial for Wegener's showed a high response rate in a small group of patients. This is similar to what the state of the field is in other similar conditions vis. Rituxan.
Alistair J. Ferraro , Clara J. Day , Mark T. Drayson , and Caroline O. Savage
Effective therapeutic use of rituximab in refractory Wegener's granulomatosis
Nephrol. Dial. Transplant. 20: 622-625
C M G Cheung, P I Murray, and C O S Savage
Successful treatment of Wegener's granulomatosis associated scleritis with rituximab
Br J Ophthalmol, November 1, 2005; 89(11): 1542 - 1542.
K. A. Keogh, S. R. Ytterberg, F. C. Fervenza, K. A. Carlson, D. R. Schroeder, and U. Specks Rituximab for Refractory Wegener's Granulomatosis: Report of a Prospective, Open-Label Pilot Trial
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2006; 173(2): 180 - 187.
Despina Eleftheriou , Marianna Melo , Stephen D. Marks , Kjell Tullus , John Sills , Gavin Cleary , Pavla Dolezalova , Seza Ozen , Clarissa Pilkington , Pat Woo , Nigel Klein , Michael J. Dillon , and Paul A. Brogan
Biologic therapy in primary systemic vasculitis of the young
Rheumatology Advance Access published on August 1, 2009, DOI 10.1093/rheumatology/kep148.
Rheumatology 48: 978-986.