Efficacy of rituximab in refractory antisynthetase syndrome

V Limaye1, P Hissaria, C-L Liew

  • 1Rheumatology Department, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia, Australia. vidya.limaye@health.sa.gov.au

We report the successful use of repeated administration of rituximab in a patient with antisynthetase syndrome refractory to conventional immunosuppressive medications. A literature review revealed that previous experience with rituximab in this condition has been sparse. The rationale for the use of B-cell depleting therapies in antisynthetase syndrome has been explored in light of the current understanding of the pathogenesis of this condition.