Репозиторий Университета

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved. Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) has been long believed to be the most severe manifestation of drug allergy. However, cutaneous changes as TEN in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were first described in the late 1970s. As of now, the English-language literature published reports of 30 cases of such lesions in SLE. This paper describes a clinical case of TEN as a direct manifestation of SLE; the positive experience has been first depicted in using not only intravenous immunoglobulin, but also rituximab with a good therapeutic effect in Russian clinical practice.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved. Objective: to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the rituximab biosimilar Acellbia® at a dose of 600 mg intravenously at a 2-week interval in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 12 and 24 weeks after initiation of treatment. Subjects and methods. Examinations were made in 20 active seropositive RA patients who had not been previously treated with biological agents (BAs), but received two infusions of the rituximab biosimilar Acellbia® at a dose of 600 mg intravenously at a 2-week interval during stable therapy with methotrexate (MT) and glucocorticoids (GCs). The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria (Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Simplified Disease Activity Index) and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were used to evaluate the efficiency of Acellbia® therapy. Disease remission was identified by DAS28 and 2011 ACR/EULAR criteria. The safety profile (the frequency of all reported adverse events) corresponds to the data on the safety of rituximab (MabThera®). Results and discussion. At the time of inclusion, median DAS28 was 5.6 [4.9; 6.8], SDAI - 27.1 [23.0; 39.9], and CDAI - 26.6 [22.2; 37.0]. At week 12 after initiation of Acellbia® therapy, they decreased to 4.2 [3.24; 4.75], 14.4 [8.5; 20.7], and 13.2 [7.9; 19.0] respectively, which remained at 24-week follow-up (p<0.01). At week 12, the frequencies of ACR 20%, 50%, 70% improvements were 70, 55, and 5%; at week 24, these were 75, 45, and 15%, respectively. A good or moderate EULAR response at week 24 was observed in 25 and 60% of patients, respectively. At week 24, DAS28, SDAI, and CDAI remissions were achieved by 4 (20%), 2 (10%), and 1 (5%); low disease activity - by 4 (20%), 5 (25%), and 6 (30%) patients, respectively; high disease activity as measured by SDAI and CDAI remained in 3 (15%) patients. Two patients (10%) met the 2011 ACR/EULAR remission criteria at 24 weeks. Conclusion. The rituximab biosimilar Acellbia® 600 mg used in patients with active seropositive RA is clinically effective and comparable in the safety profile as shown in investigations of the brand-name MabThera® (F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., Switzerland) at a low dose (500 mg), as well as the first BA.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House.All right reserved. Objective: to study changes of acute-phase reactants (erythrocyte sedimentation rate – ESR, C-reactive protein – CRP), autoantibodies (IgM/IgA rheumatoid factors – RF, anti-citrullinated protein antibodies), immunoglobulin classes G, M, and A, and CD19+ B-lymphocytes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 12 and 24 weeks after initiation of therapy with a rituximab (RTM) biosimilar at a total dose of 1200 mg. Subjects and methods. Examinations were made in 20 patients with a reliable diagnosis of RA (including 18 women; median age, 61.5 [54; 66.5] years; disease duration, 39.5 [20; 84] years; DAS28, 5.6 [4.9; 6.8]). All the patients received two intravenous infusions of RTM (Acellbia®) 600 mg at a 2-week interval during therapy with methotrexate, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and glucocorticoids. Clinical and laboratory parameters were analyzed immediately before therapy and then 12 and 24 weeks after the first infusion of the drug. Results and discussion. DAS28, ESR, and CRP level in respondents significantly decreased 12 and 24 weeks after RTM administration. The serum IgM RF concentration in the respondents was found to be significantly reduced at weeks 12 and 24 and amounted to 79.7 and 87.1% of baseline, respectively. The IgA RF level significantly decreased by 72 and 85% of baseline at weeks 12 and 24 of RTM therapy, respectively, in patients with a good response, and by 59.7 and 67.5% at weeks 12 and 24 in patients with a satisfactory response. The serum concentration of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in the respondents remained high throughout the follow-up. All the patients achieved CD19+ B-cell depletion at week 12 of therapy (absolute levels, 0); there was an increase in the level of CD19+ B-lymphocytes at week 24 (0.0030 [0.0003; 0.0270] 109/l). In both in the good and satisfactory response groups, the mean immunoglobulin levels remained within normal limits. Conclusion. The analysis of the efficiency of two infusions of the RTM biosimilar at a total dose of 1200 mg following 24 weeks of therapy initiation suggests that the drug is able to cause reductions in disease activity, laboratory signs of inflammatory activity, autoantibody concentrations, and complete B-lymphocyte depletion.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House.All right reserved. Impaired B-cell immunological tolerance plays a central role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases and autoimmune diseases of another nature. B-cells link innate and acquired immunity: they express Toll-like receptors that respond to danger signals; act as antigen-presenting cells; induce an antigen-specific immune response; determine the development of immunological memory; and synthesize a wide range of cytokines that regulate (stimulate or suppress) an immune response and inflammation. In autoimmune diseases, there are metabolic and B-cellular signaling disturbances that lead to defects in B-regulatory, T-regulatory, follicular T-helper, and dendritic cells. B-cells synthesize organ-nonspecific and organ-specific autoantibodies that are biomarkers for autoimmune diseases and play an important role in their immunopathogenesis. Anti-B-cell therapy that causes B-cell depletion in blood and target organs is effective in a wide range of autoimmune diseases. Its efficiency is determined by various mechanisms, such as suppression of pathogenic autoantibody synthesis; modulation of the function of B-cells (antigen presentation, cytokine synthesis, and costimulation), T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells. Further study of a strategy for targeted anti-B-cell therapy, mechanisms of action, and new targets is important for the progress of modern rheumatology to improve the treatment strategy of autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

© 2018 Ima-Press Publishing House. All rights reserved. Objective: to investigate the effect of various biological agents (BAs), including combined treatment with rituximab (RTM) and belimumab (BLM), on the activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate their efficacy and impact on some parameters of humoral immunity. Subjects and methods. BAs were prescribed to 54 patients with a reliable diagnosis of SLE with high and medium activity according to SLEDAI-2K; 40 of them received RTM, 7 – BLM; 7 – combined therapy with RTM and BLM. Clinical and laboratory examinations were made in all the patients at the time of their inclusion and then every 3 months during a year. The results were assessed using SLEDAI-2K, BILAG index, Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment (SELENA)-SLEDAI Flare index (SFI) (a moderate, severe exacerbation), and SLE Responder Index (SRI). Results and discussion. At 3, 6, and 12 months after start of therapy, the use of BAs in all the patients resulted in a disease activity reduction. It was statistically significant (p < 0.00001) in the RTM group; and no statistical analysis was carried out in the BLM and RTM+BLM groups due to the small numbers of patients. At the same time, there was a progressive decrease in the levels of anti-double-stranded DNA (ds-DNA) antibodies (Abs) and an increase in the concentration of the complement fractions C3 and C4 in the RTM and RTM+BLM groups (p < 0.05) at one-year follow-up. After 12 months of therapy with BAs, there was a decrease in IgG (p < 0.02) and IgM (p < 0.03) levels; but overall it remained within the reference ranges. Prior to therapy, irreversible organ damages were recorded in 23 (42.6%) of the 54 patients. The increased damage index at 12 month was observed only in patients receiving RTM, which is probably due to the use of higher-dose glucocorticoids. Conclusion. All three methods of therapy with BAs in SLE patients demonstrated good efficiency shown as a significant decrease in clinical and laboratory activity measures that were assessed by SLEDAI-2K and the levels of anti-ds-DNA and complement components C3 and C4. The decrease in immunoglobulin levels did not go beyond the reference values. Therapy with BLM and RTM+BLM allowed for managing patients with the low and average doses of oral glucocorticoids, which contributed to the reduction of not only the activity, but also risk of irreversible organ damages.