THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF RITUXIMAB THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH JUVENILE SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

This article presents the results of a retrospective study of the efficacy and safety of rituximab in 48 children with SLE. Rituximab was administered to patients with a highly active course of the disease with renal and CNS damage, as well as in case of a resistant or relapsing course, the presence of signs of corticosteroid toxicity. The dose of administered drug was 375 mg/m2 weekly, not more than 500 mg per infusion (2-4 infusions) with repeated courses every 6-12 months, depending on the degree of disease activity, the severity of B-cell depletion, the level of hypoimmunoglobulinemia IgG. Rituximab has been shown to treat children with systemic lupus erythematosus more effectively and safely.