Low pre-treatment B-cell counts are not a risk factor of @entity281 in XXXX treated with rituximab for @entity792 : An observational study.

@entity1 @entity1075 @entity6 @entity281 @entity792 @entity309
OBJECTIVES: Rituximab (RTX) is increasingly used in @entity1 with @entity309 ( @entity309 ) and other severe @entity792 ( @entity792 ). In practice, many clinicians are reluctant to prescribe RTX in @entity1 with low B-cell counts because of the presumed risk of @entity281 . The aim of this study was therefore to investigate whether B-cell counts before treatment or retreatment with RTX predict the occurrence of @entity281 . METHODS: Observational, single-centre study of 161 @entity1 treated with RTX for @entity309 and other @entity792 at a tertiary hospital. @entity1075 + B-cell counts were assessed by flow cytometry and multivariate statistical analysis adjusted for various potential predictors was performed. RESULTS: The rate of severe @entity281 was 5.9/100 @entity1 -years in @entity309 @entity1 and 24.9 in non- @entity309 @entity792 (P<0.001). Low B-cell counts at the time of RTX infusion were not associated with subsequent severe (HR=0.55, P=0.60) or overall @entity281 (HR=0.85, P=0.58). Significant pre-treatment predictors of severe @entity281 were a diagnosis other than @entity309 (HR=4.68, P<0.001), immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels <7g/L (HR=2.36, P=0.01), age (HR=1.03, P=0.01), and @entity6 (HR=3.61, P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Low B-cell counts before RTX infusion did not predict subsequent @entity281 in this population treated with RTX for @entity309 and other @entity792 , therefore not supporting the practice of pre-treatment assessment of B-cells. Nevertheless, a higher risk of severe @entity281 was confirmed for low pre-treatment IgG levels, older age, @entity6 , and @entity792 other than @entity309 .
