Journal of Clinical Medicine (Feb 2022)

Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Autoimmune Disease—Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study

  • Natalia Mena-Vázquez,
  • Rocío Redondo-Rodríguez,
  • Marta Rojas-Gimenez,
  • Carmen María Romero-Barco,
  • Sara Manrique-Arija,
  • Rafaela Ortega-Castro,
  • Ana Hidalgo Conde,
  • Rocío Arnedo Díez de los Ríos,
  • Eva Cabrera César,
  • Francisco Espildora,
  • María Carmen Aguilar-Hurtado,
  • Isabel Añón-Oñate,
  • Lorena Pérez-Albaladejo,
  • Manuel Abarca-Costalago,
  • Inmaculada Ureña-Garnica,
  • Maria Luisa Velloso-Feijoo,
  • Maria Victoria Irigoyen-Oyarzábal,
  • Antonio Fernández-Nebro

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11040927
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 4
p. 927

Abstract

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Objectives: To analyze the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) in connective tissue disease associated with interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). Methods: We performed a multicenter, prospective, observational study of patients with CTD-ILD receiving rituximab between 2015 and 2020. The patients were assessed using high-resolution computed tomography and pulmonary function tests at baseline, at 12 months, and at the end of follow-up. The main outcome measure at the end of follow-up was forced vital capacity (FVC) > 10% or diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) > 15% and radiological progression or death. We recorded clinical characteristics, time to initiation of RTX, concomitant treatment, infections, and hospitalization. A Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with worsening ILD. Results: We included 37 patients with CTD-ILD treated with RTX for a median (IQR) of 38.2 (17.7–69.0) months. At the end of the follow-up, disease had improved or stabilized in 23 patients (62.1%) and worsened in seven (18.9%); seven patients (18.9%) died. No significant decline was observed in median FVC (72.2 vs. 70.8; p = 0.530) or DLCO (55.9 vs. 52.2; p = 0.100). The multivariate analysis showed the independent predictors for worsening of CTD-ILD to be baseline DLCO (OR (95% CI), 0.904 (0.8–0.9); p = 0.015), time to initiation of RTX (1.01 (1.001–1.02); p = 0.029), and mycophenolate (0.202 (0.04–0.8); p = 0.034). Only 28 of the 37 patients (75.6%) were still undergoing treatment with RTX: two patients (5.4%) stopped treatment due to adverse events and seven patients (18.9%) died owing to progression of ILD and superinfection. Conclusion: Lung function improved or stabilized in more than half of patients with CTD-ILD treated with RTX. Early treatment and combination with mycophenolate could reduce the risk of progression of ILD.

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