An open-label trial of rituximab therapy in XXXX .

@entity1 @entity1075 @entity26 @entity358 @entity792 @entity5970 @entity2841
Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the B-lymphocyte antigen CD20, has shown promise in several @entity792 . @entity5970 ( @entity5970 ) is an @entity792 characterised by autoantibodies to @entity2841 ( @entity2841 ). An open-label, proof-of-concept phase II clinical trial was conducted in 10 @entity5970 @entity1 . The intervention consisted of two intravenous infusions of rituximab (1,000 mg) 15 days apart. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and peripheral blood samples were collected. The primary outcome was improvement in arterial blood oxygenation. Both arterial @entity26 tension and alveolar-arterial @entity26 tension difference in room air improved in seven out of the nine @entity1 completing the study. Lung function and high-resolution computed tomography scans, which were secondary outcomes, also improved. Peripheral blood @entity1075 + B-lymphocytes decreased from mean    sem 15    2% to <0.05% (n = 10) 15 days post-therapy. This decrease persisted for 3 months in all @entity1 ; at 6 months, @entity1075 + B-cells were detected in four out of seven @entity1 (5    2%). Total anti- @entity2841 immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels from baseline to 6 months were decreased in BAL fluids (n = 8) but unchanged in sera (n = 9). In this @entity5970 cohort: 1) rituximab was well-tolerated and effectively ameliorated @entity358 ; and 2) reduction in anti- @entity2841 IgG levels in the lung correlated with disease changes, suggesting that disease pathogenesis is related to autoantibody levels in the target organ.
