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type=\u0022text\/css\u0022 rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 href=\u0022\/\/d282kpwvnogo5m.cloudfront.net\/sites\/default\/files\/cdn\/css\/http\/css_Xg7z6oCTVgud_Q0huYz9x9iiD5H_2YPSJ5z2ZViSWdY.css\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Clink rel=\u0027stylesheet\u0027 type=\u0027text\/css\u0027 href=\u0027\/sites\/all\/modules\/contrib\/panels\/plugins\/layouts\/onecol\/onecol.css\u0027 \/\u003E\u003C\/head\u003E\u003Cbody\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panels-ajax-tab-panel panels-ajax-tab-panel-sageoa-tab-art\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-display panel-1col clearfix\u0022 \u003E\n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-panel panel-col\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022panel-pane pane-highwire-markup\u0022 \u003E\n  \n      \n  \n  \u003Cdiv class=\u0022pane-content\u0022\u003E\n    \u003Cdiv class=\u0022highwire-markup\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv xmlns=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022 id=\u0022content-block-markup\u0022 xmlns:xhtml=\u0022http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xhtml\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022article fulltext-view \u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-start\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022section abstract\u0022 id=\u0022abstract-1\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003ESummary\u003C\/h2\u003E\n            \u003Cp id=\u0022p-1\u0022\u003EThe approved dose of rituximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is 1000 mg \u00d7 2, but some data have suggested similar clinical efficacy with rituximab 500 mg \u00d7 2. The objective of this analysis was to compare the efficacy of the 2 doses, given as first or second treatment courses. The data for this analysis were obtained from the European Collaborative Registries for the Evaluation of Rituximab in Rheumatoid Arthritis [CERERRA], which includes 10 European registries.\u003C\/p\u003E\n         \u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022kwd-group\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003ERheumatology Clinical Trials\u003C\/li\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022kwd\u0022\u003ERheumatoid Arthritis\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-2\u0022\u003EThe approved dose of rituximab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is 1000 mg x 2, but some data have suggested similar clinical efficacy with rituximab 500 mg x 2. The objective of this analysis, presented by Katerina Chatzidionysiou, MD, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, was to compare the efficacy of the 2 doses, given as first or second treatment courses.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-3\u0022\u003EThe data for this analysis were obtained from the European Collaborative Registries for the Evaluation of Rituximab in Rheumatoid Arthritis (CERERRA), which includes 10 European registries. The registries submitted anonymous datasets with demographic, efficacy, and treatment data on patients who had started rituximab therapy. Treatment and retreatment efficacy were assessed by Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28 reductions and EULAR responses after 6 months.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-4\u0022\u003EInformation on rituximab doses was available for 2873 (88%) of 3266 patients in the registries. A total of 2625 patients (91.4%) received 1000 mg x 2 of rituximab, and 248 patients (8.6%) received 500 mg x 2. Baseline characteristics that were significantly different between the 500 mg x 2 and 1000 mg x 2 groups, respectively, were: age (55.2 vs 52.6 years; p=0.002), disease duration (13.6 vs 10.9 years; p\u0026lt;0.0001), number of prior biologics (0.7 vs 1.0; p \u0026lt;0.0001), number of prior disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs; 2.6 vs 2.4; p=0.04), baseline DAS28 (5.7 vs 5.9; p=0.02), concurrent DMARDs (72.6% versus 83.1%; p\u0026lt;0.0001), concurrent corticosteroids (65.7% vs 59.3%; p=0.03), and TNF-na\u00efvete (42% vs 62.5%; p\u0026lt;0.0001).\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-5\u0022\u003EThere were no significant differences in DAS28 or Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) responses between the 2 dose groups at 3 months and 6 months. The change in \u0394DAS28 at 3 months was 1.3\u00b11.3 in the 500 mg x 2 group versus 1.8\u00b11.4 in the 1000 mg x 2 group (p=0.005, corrected for baseline difference in DAS28). The \u0394 HAQ at 3 months was 0.3\u00b10.5 in the 500 mg x 2 group versus 0.5\u00b10.6 in the 1000 mg x 2 group (p=0.02). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups in change in DAS28 or HAQ at 6 months. No significant difference was seen in EULAR response or remission rates between the 2 dose groups.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-6\u0022\u003EData on 622 patients who received a second cycle with 2 rituximab infusions were available at 6\u00b11 months. At 6 months after retreatment, the 1000 mg x 2 group versus the 500 mg x 2 group had significant improvements in DAS28 at 12 months (p\u0026lt;0.0001), change in DAS28 at 12 months (p=0.001), and change in DAS28 from 6 to 12 months (p=0.015). EULAR response at 6 months after retreatment was significantly improved in the 1000 mg x 2 versus the 500 mg x 2 group (p\u0026lt;0.0001), but the difference in remission rates was not significant.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp id=\u0022p-7\u0022\u003EIn this large, observational cohort, initial treatment with rituximab at 500 mg x 2 and 1000 mg x 2 led to comparable clinical outcomes. The 1000 mg x 2 dose was associated with further DAS28 reductions when given as a second treatment course.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cul class=\u0022copyright-statement\u0022\u003E\u003Cli class=\u0022fn\u0022 id=\u0022copyright-statement-1\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2012 MD Conference Express\u00ae\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022highwire-journal-article-marker-end\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cspan id=\u0022related-urls\u0022\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/content\/12\/9\/11.abstract\u0022 class=\u0022hw-link hw-link-article-abstract\u0022 data-icon-position=\u0022\u0022 data-hide-link-title=\u00220\u0022\u003EView Summary\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\n  \n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n  \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cscript type=\u0022text\/javascript\u0022 src=\u0022http:\/\/mdc.sagepub.com\/sites\/all\/modules\/highwire\/highwire\/plugins\/highwire_markup_process\/js\/highwire_openurl.js?nznfwd\u0022\u003E\u003C\/script\u003E\n\u003C\/body\u003E\u003C\/html\u003E"}