Sustained Improvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis Following a Protocol Designed to Deplete B Lymphocytes

Objectives: An open study of B-lymphocyte depletion was undertaken in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to test the hypothesis that B lymphocytes may be essential to disease perpetuation.

Methods: Five patients with refractory RA were treated with a monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody, cyclophosphamide and prednisolone and followed for 12-17 months. Patient 2 received further treatments at 8 and 12 months and patient 4 at 11 months.

Results: At 26 weeks all patients satisfied the American College of Rheumatology ACR50 and patients 1-3 the ACR70 criteria of improvement, without further therapy. Patients 1, 3 and 5 achieved ACR70 at 1 yr and rheumatoid factor (RF) levels fell to normal. In patients 3 and 5, B lymphocytes returned without relapse. Patient 2 relapsed at 28 weeks and patient 4 at 38 weeks, coincident with the return of B lymphocytes in the presence of raised RF levels. Both achieved ACR70 on retreatment. Adverse events were limited to respiratory episodes (two patients) and marginal thrombocytopenia (one patient).

Conclusions: These findings are consistent with the concept that RA is critically dependent on B lymphocytes and suggest that B-lymphocyte depletion may be a safe and effective therapy.