Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026
04:44
Imaging Features of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Published on: June 16, 2020
Rituximab in Progressive Connective Tissue Disease-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease: A Multicenter Real-World
Agustín Patrone1, Juan Ignacio Enghelmayer2, María Otaola3
1Interstitial Disease Unit - Sanatorio Güemes University Hospital - Buenos Aires.
Respiratory Medicine
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Rituximab stabilized lung function in patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) refractory to other treatments. This rescue therapy showed sustained improvements in forced vital capacity (FVC) and DLCO over 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonology
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
Background:
- Connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD) is challenging to treat.
- Rituximab is a potential rescue therapy for CTD-ILD resistant to standard immunosuppression.
- Real-world data on long-term rituximab efficacy in CTD-ILD are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term lung function trajectories in patients with progressive CTD-ILD treated with rituximab.
- To assess rituximab's efficacy as a rescue therapy in a real-world setting.
Main Methods:
- Multicenter retrospective cohort study.
- Included patients with progressive CTD-ILD despite mycophenolate mofetil or cyclophosphamide.
- Defined progression as ≥10% decline in forced vital capacity (FVC) over 6 months.
- Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs) assessed at baseline, early post-rituximab, and 12 months.
Main Results:
- Fifty-eight patients were analyzed.
- Mean FVC declined 15.8% in the 6 months prior to rituximab.
- Mean FVC increased 4.7% early post-rituximab and 6.8% at 12 months (p < 0.001).
- Mean DLCO also showed a significant 12-month increase (p = 0.018).
- Improvements were more frequent in inflammatory-predominant phenotypes and patients with higher baseline FVC.
- Rituximab had a favorable safety profile.
Conclusions:
- Rituximab demonstrated early stabilization and persistent lung function response in progressive CTD-ILD over 12 months.
- Clinical benefit may be greater in inflammatory phenotypes and patients with preserved lung volumes.
- Rituximab is a viable rescue therapy for select CTD-ILD patients, warranting further prospective validation.
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