Rituximab, Standard Immunosuppressive Combo Fails In Lupus Nephritis.

MedPage Today  (4/11, Walsh) reports, "The addition of rituximab to a standard immunosuppressive regimen did not increase the overall response rate among patients with lupus nephritis," according to a study published in the April issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. "At one year, the rates of combined complete and partial response among patients receiving rituximab (Rituxan) and those given placebo were 56.9% and 45.8%, respectively (P=0.18)," the 144-patient study found. "Most of the difference between the rituximab and placebo groups was in partial response rates, which were 30.6% and 15.3%, respectively," the study authors reported.