There are several case reports and some prospective open-label trials published with good results regarding the effect of RTX therapy in treatment refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis [9]. Recently, studies with promising results from the two-first, randomized, controlled trials using RTX in ANCA-associated vasculitis were published [10, 11]. In this study, we have evaluated

retrospectively the clinical and immunological effects of RTX treatment in 29 patients Stem Cell Compound Library datasheet with ANCA-positive therapy-resistant vasculitis with emphasis on vasculitic and granulomatous manifestations. Patients.  The medical records of all patients (n = 29) with ANCA-associated treatment refractory vasculitis treated with RTX at the Department of Rheumatology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, during the period March 2005 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. In line with EULAR recommendations [12], the diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of characteristic

clinical symptoms and/or histopathological features on biopsy in all patients. Twenty-eight patients fulfilled the diagnostic definitions of the Chapel Hill Consensus Conference and the ACR criteria for GPA. One patient with high ANCA-PR3 titres at disease debut (disease duration 150 months) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for microscopic polyangiitis [13, 14]. PLX4032 clinical trial The disease was defined refractory if disease activity remained unchanged or increased during (1) conventional treatment with oral or intravenous alkylating drugs and steroids or (2) relapses occurred during adequate immunosuppressive therapy with other DMARDs. At RTX start, 22 patients were receiving treatment with peroral corticosteroids (median prednisolone dose 7.5 (2.5–22.5) mg. Nine patients of 29 received also intravenous methylprednisolone pulse therapy

Baf-A1 purchase 1 g every second day for three times. All patients had been treated previously with CYC, and 19 patients had ongoing treatment with intravenous (n = 13) or peroral (n = 6) CYC (Table 1). Whether to add RTX to the treatment regimen was decided in each case by the treating rheumatologists according to treatment routines in the clinic. All patients read written information about RTX; they were informed about the aim and potential complications of RTX treatment and gave verbal informed consent before treatment. Disease activity assessment.  The disease activity was assessed using Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score validated for use in GPA (Wegener’s granulomatosis) (BVAS/WG) [15]. Based on EULAR recommendations, ‘response’ to treatment was defined as ≥50% reduction in BVAS/WG disease activity score [12]. For definitions, see supporting information. Rituximab treatment.  Rituximab (RTX) was given as four consecutive intravenous infusions once weekly at a dose of 375 mg/m2 body surface. All patients were given premedication with oral paracetamol and intravenous klemastin before RTX infusion.