Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37237260›Full record

ArticleBMC nephrology2023

Monthly mini-dose rituximab for primary anti-PLA2R-positive membranous nephropathy: a personalized approach.

Song Wang, Zhenling Deng, Yue Wang, Wenhan Bao, Sijia Zhou, Zhuan Cui, Danxia Zheng

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nephrology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Song WangDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Zhenling DengDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Yue WangDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Wenhan BaoDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Sijia ZhouDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Zhuan CuiDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China.
Danxia ZhengDepartment of Nephrology, Peking University Third Hospital, No. 49 North Garden Road, 100191, Beijing, China. dxzheng@sina.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe currently recommended dose of rituximab for primary membranous nephropathy is as high as that for lymphoma. However, the clinical manifestations of membranous nephropathy vary widely. Therefore, achieving individualized treatment is a topic that needs to be explored. This study assessed the efficacy of monthly mini-dose rituximab monotherapy in patients with primary membranous nephropathy.

methodsThis retrospective study included 32 patients with primary membranous nephropathy treated at Peking University Third Hospital between March 2019 and January 2023. All patients were anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody-positive and received rituximab 100 mg intravenously monthly for at least 3 months without other immunosuppressive therapy. Rituximab infusions were sustained until either remission of the nephrotic syndrome or a minimum serum anti-PLA2R titer ˂ 2 RU/mL was achieved.

resultsThe baseline parameters included: proteinuria, 8.5 ± 3.6 g/day; serum albumin, 24.8 ± 3.4 g/L; and anti-PLA2R antibody, 160 (20-2659) RU/mL. B-cell depletion was achieved in 87.5% patients after the first dose of rituximab 100 mg and in 100% after the second equivalent dose. The median follow-up was 24 months (range 18-38). Twenty-seven (84%) patients achieved remission, with 11 (34%) patients achieving complete remission by last follow-up. The relapse-free survival from the last infusion was 13.5 months (range 3-27). Patients were stratified into the low-titer (< 150 RU/mL, n = 17) and high-titer groups (≥ 150 RU/mL, n = 15) based on the anti-PLA2R titer. Sex, age, urinary proteins, serum albumin, and estimated glomerular filtration rate at baseline did not differ significantly between the two groups. At 18 months, compared to the low-titer group, the rituximab dose (960 ± 387 vs 694 ± 270 mg, p = 0.030) was higher, while serum albumin (37.0 ± 5.4 vs 41.3 ± 5.4 g/L, p = 0.033) and the complete remission rate (13% vs 53%, p = 0.000) were both lower in the high-titer group.

conclusionsMonthly rituximab 100 mg appeared as a potential effective regimen for treating anti-PLA2R-associated primary membranous nephropathy with a low anti-PLA2R titer. The lower the anti-PLA2R titer, the lower the rituximab dose required to achieve remission.

trial registrationA retrospective study, registered at ChiCTR (ChiCTR2200057381) on March 10, 2022.

Indexed as

AutoantibodiesGlomerulonephritis, MembranousHumansReceptors, Phospholipase A2Retrospective StudiesRituximabSerum AlbuminAutoantibodiesReceptors, Phospholipase A2RituximabSerum AlbuminAnti-phospholipase A2 receptor antibodyMembranous nephropathyMini-doseNephrotic syndromeRituximab

Identifiers

PMID37237260
PMCPMC10213597

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.