Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • COVID-19 and Rheumatology
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services

User menu

  • My Cart
  • Log In

Search

  • Advanced search
The Journal of Rheumatology
  • JRheum Supplements
  • Services
  • My Cart
  • Log In
The Journal of Rheumatology

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • First Release
    • Current
    • Archives
    • Collections
    • Audiovisual Rheum
    • COVID-19 and Rheumatology
  • Resources
    • Guide for Authors
    • Submit Manuscript
    • Payment
    • Reviewers
    • Advertisers
    • Classified Ads
    • Reprints and Translations
    • Permissions
    • Meetings
    • FAQ
    • Policies
  • Subscribers
    • Subscription Information
    • Purchase Subscription
    • Your Account
    • Terms and Conditions
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Duncan A. Gordon Award
    • Privacy/GDPR Policy
    • Accessibility
  • Contact Us
  • Follow jrheum on Twitter
  • Visit jrheum on Facebook
  • Follow jrheum on LinkedIn
  • Follow jrheum on YouTube
  • Follow jrheum on Instagram
  • Follow jrheum on RSS
Research ArticleSjögren Syndrome

Long-term Safety of Rituximab in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: The Experience of a Single Center

Onorina Berardicurti, Viktoriya Pavlych, Ilenia Di Cola, Piero Ruscitti, Paola Di Benedetto, Luca Navarini, Annalisa Marino, Paola Cipriani and Roberto Giacomelli
The Journal of Rheumatology February 2022, 49 (2) 171-175; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.210441
Onorina Berardicurti
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Onorina Berardicurti
Viktoriya Pavlych
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Ilenia Di Cola
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Piero Ruscitti
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paola Di Benedetto
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Luca Navarini
2L. Navarini, MD, A. Marino, MD, Roberto Giacomelli, MD, PhD, Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Annalisa Marino
2L. Navarini, MD, A. Marino, MD, Roberto Giacomelli, MD, PhD, Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Paola Cipriani
1O. Berardicurti, MD, V. Pavlich, MD, I. Di Cola, MD, P. Ruscitti, PhD, P. Di Benedetto, PhD, P. Cipriani, PhD, Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, Rheumatology Unit, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Roberto Giacomelli
2L. Navarini, MD, A. Marino, MD, Roberto Giacomelli, MD, PhD, Rheumatology and Immunology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Rome Campus Biomedico, Rome, Italy.
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: r.giacomelli@unicampus.it roberto.giacomelli@univaq.it
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
  • eLetters
PreviousNext
Loading

Abstract

Objective This work aims to evaluate the long-term safety of rituximab (RTX) in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) and to determine the safety and the efficacy of long-term treatment with B cell depleting therapy in pSS patients with active systemic disease.

Methods A historical cohort study, enrolling 35 patients with pSS treated with RTX between 2008 and 2019 in a single rheumatologic unit, was performed. When patients experienced adverse events, the treatment was suspended and patients’ data were recorded.

Results The included patients were mainly female (91%), with a mean age of 54 years. During the time of observation, 13 patients (37.1%) suspended RTX treatment (10 cases per 100 patient-years, 95% CI 0.06–0.17). Baseline demographics, disease characteristics, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) Sjögren’s Syndrome Disease Activity Index (ESSDAI) values, and treatment were comparable across RTX-suspended and nonsuspended groups. Patients exposed to RTX had been followed for 35.82 ± 32.56 months, and the time of observation varied from 6 to 96 months. All the patients except one experienced a significant and persisting meaningful improvement of their ESSDAI (≥ 3 points) during the long-term follow-up. For the duration of the follow-up, 13 (37%) patients discontinued RTX treatment. Four out of 13 (30.8%) discontinued the treatment after the first administration due to infusion-related reactions. During subsequent RTX courses, the main cause of withdrawal was hypogammaglobulinemia onset (7 patients). In 2 patients, hypogammaglobulinemia was associated with severe infections.

Conclusion Long-term RTX administration was shown to be a safe, well tolerated, and effective treatment in patients with active systemic disease, significantly reducing ESSDAI and controlling disease activity.

Key Indexing Terms:
  • hypogammaglobulinemia
  • primary Sjögren syndrome
  • rituximab
  • safety
  • Accepted for publication October 4, 2021.
  • © 2022 by the Journal of Rheumatology
View Full Text

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

The Journal of Rheumatology
Vol. 49, Issue 2
1 Feb 2022
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by Author
  • Editorial Board (PDF)
Print
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about The Journal of Rheumatology.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Long-term Safety of Rituximab in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: The Experience of a Single Center
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from The Journal of Rheumatology
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the The Journal of Rheumatology web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Long-term Safety of Rituximab in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: The Experience of a Single Center
Onorina Berardicurti, Viktoriya Pavlych, Ilenia Di Cola, Piero Ruscitti, Paola Di Benedetto, Luca Navarini, Annalisa Marino, Paola Cipriani, Roberto Giacomelli
The Journal of Rheumatology Feb 2022, 49 (2) 171-175; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.210441

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

 Request Permissions

Share
Long-term Safety of Rituximab in Primary Sjögren Syndrome: The Experience of a Single Center
Onorina Berardicurti, Viktoriya Pavlych, Ilenia Di Cola, Piero Ruscitti, Paola Di Benedetto, Luca Navarini, Annalisa Marino, Paola Cipriani, Roberto Giacomelli
The Journal of Rheumatology Feb 2022, 49 (2) 171-175; DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.210441
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
    • Abstract
    • METHODS
    • RESULTS
    • DISCUSSION
    • ACKNOWLEDGMENT
    • Footnotes
    • REFERENCES
    • DATA AVAILABILITY
    • ONLINE SUPPLEMENT
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
  • eLetters

Keywords

hypogammaglobulinemia
PRIMARY SJÖGREN SYNDROME
RITUXIMAB
SAFETY

Related Articles

Cited By...

More in this TOC Section

  • PROMIS Provides a Broader Overview of Health-related Quality of Life Than the ESSPRI in Evaluation of Sjögren Syndrome
  • Correlation Between Subjective and Objective Severity of Oral and Ocular Dryness in Primary Sjögren Syndrome
Show more Sjögren Syndrome

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • hypogammaglobulinemia
  • primary Sjögren syndrome
  • rituximab
  • safety

Content

  • First Release
  • Current
  • Archives
  • Collections
  • Audiovisual Rheum
  • COVID-19 and Rheumatology

Resources

  • Guide for Authors
  • Submit Manuscript
  • Author Payment
  • Reviewers
  • Advertisers
  • Classified Ads
  • Reprints and Translations
  • Permissions
  • Meetings
  • FAQ
  • Policies

Subscribers

  • Subscription Information
  • Purchase Subscription
  • Your Account
  • Terms and Conditions

More

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • My Alerts
  • My Folders
  • Privacy/GDPR Policy
  • RSS Feeds
The Journal of Rheumatology
The content of this site is intended for health care professionals.
Copyright © 2022 by The Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.
Print ISSN: 0315-162X; Online ISSN: 1499-2752
Powered by HighWire