Multiple courses of rituximab (Rituxan) were safe for patients with advanced rheumatoid arthritis, with no increase in serious adverse events or serious infections, an analysis of data from an international follow-up program demonstrated.
The rate of serious adverse events was 17.85 per 100 patient-years (95% CI 16.72 to 19.06), remaining stable following each course of treatment for up to five years, according to Ronald F. van Vollenhoven, MD, of Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, and colleagues.
Serious infections such as pneumonia, cellulitis, and urinary tract infections were reported in 170 patients (7%), for an overall serious infection rate of 4.31 per 100 patient-years (95% CI 3.77 to 4.92), the investigators reported online in The Journal of Rheumatology.
Time and experience have made clear that the immunomodulatory nature of biologic therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis requires careful safety vigilance.
In addition to treatment-related risks, patients with rheumatoid arthritis already are at increased risk of infections, malignancies, and cardiovascular disease.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Arthritis/18267glad to hear that for my friends who are using this therapy.. and for those of us who will in the future!!