Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học General Psychiatry cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài: B cell depletion in diffuse progressive systemic sclerosis: safety, skin score modification and IL-6 modulation in an up to thirty-six months follow-up open-label trial. | Bosello et al. Arthritis Research Therapy 2010 12 R54 http content 12 2 R54 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access B cell depletion in diffuse progressive systemic sclerosis safety skin score modification and IL-6 modulation in an up to thirty-six months follow-up open-label trial 1 1 2 -1- - 2 -1-ai-2 1 2 Silvia Bosello Maria De Santis Gina Lama Cristina Spanò Cristiana Angelucci Barbara Tolusso Gigliola Sica Gianfranco Ferraccioli 1 Abstract Introduction An over-expression of CD19 has been shown in B cells of systemic sclerosis SSc and B cells are thought to contribute to the induction of skin fibrosis in the tight skin mouse model. The aim was to define the outcome on safety and the change in skin score after rituximab therapy in SSc patients and to correlate the clinical characteristics with the levels of interleukin IL -6 and with the immune cell infiltrate detected by immunohistochemistry. Methods Nine patients with SSc with mean age years were treated with anti-CD20 1 g at time 0 and after 14 days. Skin biopsy was performed at baseline and during the follow-up. B-cell activating factor BAFF and IL-6 levels were also determined at the follow-up times. Results After 6 months patients presented a median decrease of the skin score of range and a decrease in disease activity index and disease severity index. IL-6 levels decreased permanently during the follow up. After treatment a complete depletion of peripheral blood B cells was observed in all but 2 patients. Only 3 patients presented CD20 positive cells in the biopsy of the involved skin at baseline. Conclusions Anti-CD20 treatment has been well tolerated and SSc patients experienced an improvement of the skin score and of clinical symptoms. The clear fall in IL-6 levels could contribute to the skin fibrosis improvement while the presence of B cells in the skin seems to be irrelevant with respect to the outcome after B cell depletion. Trial registration ISRCTN77554566. .
