Rituximab as pre-emptive treatment in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and evidence of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies.
Thromb Haemost
; 101(2): 233-8, 2009 Feb.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-19190804
ABSTRACT
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare and severe disease characterized by thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic haemolytic anemia, neurological and renal involvement associated with deficiency of the von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, ADAMTS13. Persistence of high titers of anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies predisposes to relapsing TTP. Since relapses are associated with high morbidity and mortality rates, the optimal therapeutic option should be a pre-emptive treatment able to deplete anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies and avoid relapses. Five patients who presented with persistence of undetectable ADAMTS13 activity and high titers of autoantibodies, were treated with rituximab as pre-emptive therapy during remission. Four of them were affected by relapsing TTP and one was treated after the first episode. ADAMTS13 activity ranging from 15% to 75% with disappearance of inhibitors was achieved after three months in all patients, and persisted >20% without inhibitors at six months. In three patients disease-free status is still ongoing after 29, 24 and six months, respectively. Relapses were documented in two patients during follow-up in one patient remission lasted 51 months; while in the other patient relapse occurred after 13 months. Results demonstrated that rituximab used as pre-emptive treatment may be effective in maintaining a sustained remission in patients with anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies in whom other treatments failed to limit the production of inhibitors, and suggests that re-treatment with rituximab should be considered when ADAMTS13 activity decreases and inhibitors reappear into the circulation, to avoid a new relapse.
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Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Púrpura Trombocitopênica Trombótica
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Autoanticorpos
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Proteínas ADAM
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Fatores Imunológicos
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Anticorpos Monoclonais
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Limite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2009
Tipo de documento:
Article