1. A randomized and double-blind controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of rituximab for warm auto-immune hemolytic anemia in adults (the RAIHA study).
- Author
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Michel M, Terriou L, Roudot-Thoraval F, Hamidou M, Ebbo M, Le Guenno G, Galicier L, Audia S, Royer B, Morin AS, Marie Michot J, Jaccard A, Frenzel L, Khellaf M, and Godeau B
- Subjects
- Aged, Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune mortality, Disease-Free Survival, Double-Blind Method, Drug Therapy, Combination, Female, Humans, Immunologic Factors administration & dosage, Male, Prednisolone administration & dosage, Prospective Studies, Rituximab administration & dosage, Treatment Outcome, Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune drug therapy, Immunologic Factors therapeutic use, Prednisolone therapeutic use, Rituximab therapeutic use
- Abstract
This Phase 3 multicentre randomized double-blind and placebo-controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of rituximab (RTX) to placebo for treating newly diagnosed warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA) in adults receiving prednisone. Adults with a confirmed diagnosis of wAIHA who previously received corticosteroids for less than 6 weeks could be included. At inclusion, all patients received prednisone at a daily dose of 1 mg/kg for 2 weeks, and then tapered according to a pre-defined recommended reduction scheme. Besides prednisone, eligible patients received 2 infusions of RTX or placebo at a fixed dose of 1,000 mg 2-week apart. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (complete response [CR] + partial response [PR]) in an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis at 1 year. A total of 32 patients (17 females [53%], mean age at inclusion 71 ± 16 years) were enrolled and randomized. In all, 27 patients were followed for at least 1 year and their data were evaluable for response. With an ITT analysis, the overall response rate at 1 year was 75% [95%CI: 47.6-92.7] with 11 CR and 1 PR with RTX versus 31% [11.0-58.7] (5 CR) with placebo (P = 0.032). At 2 years, 10/16 patients with RTX versus 3/16 with placebo still showed CR (P = 0.011). Overall, eight severe infections occurred during follow-up, six with placebo and two with RTX (P = 0.39). At 2 years, six patients with placebo had died, but none with RTX (P = 0.017). Compared to placebo, RTX combined with prednisone may be effective and safe for treating newly-diagnosed wAIHA in adults. Am. J. Hematol. 92:23-27, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)
- Published
- 2017
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