Rituximab/IVIG in pemphigus – a 10-year study with a long follow-up

AbstractBackground: Pemphigus is a chronic potentially life threatening autoimmune blistering disease affecting the skin and/or mucous membranes. Rituximab is being increasingly used and found efficacious in the treatment of pemphigus.Objective: To present the Middle-Eastern experience with the use of rituximab in pemphigus.Methods: A retrospective analysis of patient files was conducted which revealed twenty-three patients of pemphigus who were treated with rituximab(either alone or with IVIG) in the dermatology department of a tertiary care hospital from July-2004 to Dec-2014.Results: The mean time to disease control was 8weeks(median 5weeks and range 2 – 30weeks). 90.9% attained early study end point with the first cycle of rituximab. The remaining 9.1% needed an additional course of rituximab + IVIG to attain disease control. 90.5% of our patients attained complete remission during the study period. The average time to attain complete remission on minimal treatment was 25.4weeks and partial remission ...