B cell or T cell-dominant recurrence after rituximab therapy in patients with SLE

摘要

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease induced by autoreactive T cell activation and B cell autoanti-body overproduction. The efficacy of rituximab in refractory SLE has been documented, although some patients show partial response only.1"9 We report here two patients with SLE who showed T cell-dominant flare-up and two others who showed B cell-dependent flare-up, after long-term remission induced by rituximab administered at 375 mg/m2 twice/week.