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. 2014 Jun 30;2014:107421. doi: 10.1155/2014/107421

Table 3.

Studies reporting on patients with Behçet's disease treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab).

First author (reference, year) N pts Main BD clinical and laboratory features HLA-B51 Previous biologic agents and causes of withdrawal Dosage and eventual cotherapies Followup Outcome
Sadreddini (2008) [58] 1 Mucosal involvement, arthritis, posterior uveitis, retinal vasculitis, and chronic renal failure (of unknown origin) NR ETN: ADR (fever, urticaria, macular rushes, angioedema, transient new lymphopenia, and positive antinuclear antibody test) RTX 1 g every two weeks for two doses + PDN 1 mg/kg/day 24 months CR of retinal vasculitis within few months and PDN was tapered to 5 g/day

Davatchi (2010) [59] 10 Mucosal, ocular, and articular involvement; skin manifestations NR None RTX 1 g every two weeks for two doses + PDN 0.5 mg/kg/day + MTX 15 mg/week 6 months Improvement of ocular manifestations after 6 months. TADAI significant improvement on RTX. VA improved in two patients, remained unchanged in 1, and worsened in 7. Significant improvement of retinal, disc, and macular oedema in all patients

Zhao (2014) [60] 1 Fever, mucosal involvement, arthritis, EN, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, increase of CRP NR IFX: inefficacy;
ETN: acute mononeuritis multiplex
RTX 1 g every two weeks for two doses + PDN 15 mg/day + MTX 20 mg/week + colchicine 12 months CR after the 3rd infusion; improved clinical control of disease activity and reduction in steroids requirements (PDN tapered to 8 mg/day)

ADR: adverse reactions; BD: Behçet's disease; CR: complete remission; CRP: C-reactive protein; EN: erythema nodosum; ETN: etanercept; HLA: human leukocyte antigen; IFX: infliximab; MTX: methotrexate; N: number; NR: not reported; pts: patients; PDN: prednisone; RTX: rituximab; TADAI: total adjusted disease activity index; VA: visual acuity.