Search

Rituximab has been extensively used for managing B-cell lymphomas due to its anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody activity. Over the last decade, its application has been extended to manage frequent relapsing or steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome. Its use has been comparatively safe, but few cases of adverse effects on the lung have been reported in the adult population. These lung injury presentations are rarely reported in a pediatric group with only four cases in the literature. Below is a rare case of rituximab-induced lung injury in a 9-year-old boy with frequent relapse of nephrotic syndrome, which developed after four days of rituximab infusion. Suspecting infection and sepsis, several antibiotics were started, but with no improvement in respiratory complaints, even antifungal and antituberculosis treatments were initiated. Finally, setting up a casual relation with the time of infusion to the development of complaints, association with rituximab was suspected. The patient responded to steroid therapy with complete resolution of respiratory complaints. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of rituximab-induced cystic lesion in lungs from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) develop complications due to either the disease state or its treatment. Infections, thromboembolism and acute kidney injury are the most common complications in children with NS. Several studies in children with NS have reported that urinary tract infections, upper respiratory tract infections, peritonitis and sepsis are the most commonly reported infections. Infection is one of the common triggering factors for relapse, and prophylaxis against infections is required in patients unresponsive to steroids or with frequently relapsing disease. In this review article, we summarize the strategies for prevention of infections in NS. The most commonly studied drug for the prevention of infection in NS is intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIg), while other drugs include thymosin, oral transfer factor, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, mannan peptide tablet, polyvalent bacterial vaccine and Chinese herbal medications (Tiaojining and Huangqui granules). Several vaccination programs including pneumococcal, influenza A, varicella and measles have been effective in the prevention of infections in nephrotic children. However, established measures for preventing infections in nephrotic children are lacking, and to draw any conclusion, randomized controlled trials are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]