Cancer Treatment Today

The evidence for use of rituximab in autoimmune hemolytic anemia has until reently been limited to case reports and small, uncontrolled clinical studies; however, there are many of them, and more recently larger trials, such as Barcellini et al have been performed and an evidence based recommendation(Crowder et al) appeared. Rituximab appeared to have efficacy in the treatment of AIHA, both idiopathic or associated with B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders.Rituximab appeared to have efficacy in the treatment of AIHA, both idiopathic or associated with B-cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders. There are many reports of Rituxan’s efficacy. Positive reports and studies continue to be regularly published. A recent review article (Berenstein et al) that it is accepted as preferred 2nd line therapy
Xiao Z, Murakhovskaya I. Development of New Drugs for Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia. Pharmaceutics. 2022 May 11;14(5):1035.
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in adults, Uptodate, Accessed 4/26/2023

igbjørn Berentsen, M.D., Ph.D., et al, Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemias. N Engl J Med 2021; 385:1407-1419

G. D’Arena, C. Califano, M. Annunziata et al., “Rituximab for warm-type idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia: a retrospective study of 11 adult patients,” European Journal of Haematology, vol. 79, no. 1, pp. 53–58, 2007.

D. Dierickx, G. Verhoef, A. van Hoof et al., “Rituximab in auto-immune haemolytic anaemia and immune thrombocytopenic purpura: a Belgian retrospective multicentric study,” Journal of Internal Medicine, vol. 266, no. 5, pp. 484–491, 2009.

G. Bussone, E. Ribeiro, A. Dechartres et al., “Efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults’ warm antibody autoimmune haemolytic anemia: retrospective analysis of 27 cases,” American Journal of Hematology, vol. 84, no. 3, pp. 153–157, 2009.

Zaja F, Iacona I, Masolini P, et al. B-cell depletion with rituximab as treatment for immune hemolytic anemia and chronic thrombocytopenia. Haematologica. 2002;87(2):189-195.

Arzoo K, Sadeghi S, Liebman HA. Treatment of refractory antibody mediated autoimmune disorders with an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab). Ann Rheum Dis. 2002;61(10):922-924.

Claudio Fozza and Maurizio Longinotti, Use of Rituximab in Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia Associated with Non-Hodgkin, Advances in Hematology Volume 2011 (2011),  Lymphomas,

Barcellini W, Zaja F, Zaninoni A, et al. Low-dose rituximab in adult patients with idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia: clinical efficacy and biologic studies. Blood 2012; 119:3691.

Mark Crowther, Y. L. Tracey Chan, Ian K. Garbett, Wendy Lim, Mark A. Vickers and Mark A. Evidence-based focused review of the treatment of idiopathic warm Autoimmune hemolytic anemia in adults 2011 118: 4036-4040