Targeted Immunotherapy with Rituximab Leads to a Transient Alteration of the IgG Autoantibody Profile in Pemphigus Vulgaris
Table 1
Clinical and immunological characteristics of the pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patients on adjuvant treatment with rituximab.
Patients
Treatment
Sex
Age
Clinical phenotype of PV
Severity
IgG autoantibody profile
Mucosa
BSA (%)
Anti-Dsg1
Anti-Dsg3
PV1
Pred., MMF, Dapson
m
53
mucocutaneous
2
3
103
549
PV2
Pred., MMF, MTX
m
67
mucocutaneous
4
1
10
484
PV3
Pred., MMF, Azathioprin
f
69
mucosal
7
0
neg
810
PV4
Pred.
f
69
no mucosal involvement
0
4
163
2368
PV5
Pred. MMF, Azathioprin
f
37
mucocutaneous
3
5
183
94
PV6
n.d.
m
48
n.d.
n.d.
n.d.
979
906
PV7
Pred., MMF
m
50
mucocutaneous
8
1
82
201
PV8
Pred., MMF, Dapson
f
23
mucocutaneous
2
12
357
145
PV10
Pred., MMF
f
57
mucosal
6
0
3
124
PV11
Pred., MMF, MTX
f
28
mucosal
5
0
6
229
PV12
Pred., MMF
f
54
mucocutaneous
7
5
199
175
PV13
n.d.
m
62
mucocutaneous
7
10
78
220
PV14
Pred.
m
79
mucocutaneous
6
10
170
200
PV15
Pred.
m
36
mucocutaneous
4
60
155
201
PV16
n.d.
m
64
mucocutaneous
6
20
163
58
PV17
Pred.
f
51
mucocutaneous
5
10
181
209
PV18
Pred.
f
70
mucocutaneous
4
10
neg
143
PV19
n.d.
m
59
mucocutaneous
4
10
98
156
PV20
Pred.
m
38
mucocutaneous
4
20
36
138
PV21
Pred.
f
41
mucocutaneous
5
10
18
119
PV22
Pred.
m
24
mucocutaneous
4
20
138
135
PV23
Pred.
f
50
Mucocutaneous
5
10
176
163
Systemic prednisolone (Pred) was administered throughout the observation period and was logarithmically tapered upon clinical reponse to treatment; azathioprine (AZA) or mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), respectively, was also administered throughout the observation period. n.d., not determined. Before treatment with rituximab. Determined by the extent of cutaneous involvement as body surface area (BSA) and the extent of mucosal involvement. Determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with recombinant desmoglein (Dsg) 1 and 3; optical densities are expressed as PIV (protein index value). PIV cutoff is 20.
