Rituximab Use in Warm and Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA
J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9(12), 4034; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9124034
Received: 19 November 2020
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Revised: 6 December 2020
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Accepted: 9 December 2020
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Published: 13 December 2020
(This article belongs to the Collection Diagnosis and Management of Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemias)
Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a rare condition characterized by destruction of red blood cells with and without involvement of complement. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia, less than 50% of patients remain in long-term remission following initial steroid therapy and subsequent therapies are required. Cold agglutinin disease is a clonal hematologic disorder that requires therapy in the majority of patients and responds poorly to steroids and alkylators. Rituximab has a favorable toxicity profile and has demonstrated efficacy in autoimmune hemolytic anemia in first-line as well as relapsed settings. Rituximab is the preferred therapy for steroid refractory warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) and as part of the first- and second-line treatment of cold agglutinin disease. This article reviews the mechanism of action of rituximab and the current literature on its role in the management of primary and secondary warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia and cold agglutinin disease.
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Keywords:
autoimmune hemolytic anemia treatment; warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia; rituximab; cold agglutinin disease
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MDPI and ACS Style
Murakhovskaya, I. Rituximab Use in Warm and Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. J. Clin. Med. 2020, 9, 4034. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9124034
AMA Style
Murakhovskaya I. Rituximab Use in Warm and Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2020; 9(12):4034. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9124034
Chicago/Turabian StyleMurakhovskaya, Irina. 2020. "Rituximab Use in Warm and Cold Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia" Journal of Clinical Medicine 9, no. 12: 4034. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9124034
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