Reduction of fatigue in Sjogren syndrome with rituximab: results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study

S Dass, Simon Bowman, EM Vital, K Ikeda, CT Pease, John Hamburger, A Richards, Saaeha Rauz, P Emery

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260 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) causes significant systemic symptoms including fatigue as well as glandular dysfunction. There are currently no effective systemic therapies; however, open label series have suggested that rituximab may be beneficial for systemic and glandular manifestations. Therefore, we performed a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomised pilot study of the efficacy of rituximab in reducing fatigue in pSS. METHODS: A total of 17 patients with pSS and a score on fatigue visual analogue scale (VAS) >50 were randomised to receive either 2 infusions of rituximab 1 g or placebo; patients also received oral and intravenous steroids. Outcome measures included: the proportion of patients with >20% reduction in fatigue VAS, changes in pSS related symptoms, health related quality of life and immunological parameters of pSS. These were measured 6 months after therapy. RESULTS: There was significant improvement from baseline in fatigue VAS in the rituximab group (p
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1541-1544
Number of pages4
JournalAnnals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Volume67
Issue number11
Early online date29 Nov 2007
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 29 Nov 2007

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