EFFICACY OF RECURRENT TREATMENT WITH RITUXIMAB IN PATIENT WITH SEVERE REFRACTORY SYSTEMIC TYPE OF JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Abstract

The article presents a case report of severe clinical course of systemic type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis refractory to the immunosuppressive treatment. The disease was characterized with such extra-articular symptoms as fever, lymphadenopathia, hepatosplenomegaly, polyserositis. Generalized joints lesion and high laboratory signs of disease’s activity presented. Significant hormone-dependence and hormone-resistance on the ground of corticosteroids developed. Inclusion of rituximab to the scheme of treatment stopped systemic symptoms of a disease, inflammatory lesions in joints, and normalized laboratory rates of activity. Beneficial effect of treatment allowed lowering of peroral corticosteroids’ dose. Obtained results testify to high effectiveness of rituximab. This medication can be the drug of choice in a treatment of children with systemic type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, refractory to immunosuppressive therapy and corticosteroids.Key words: children, systemic type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, rituximab.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2009;8(6):85-91)