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KMID : 0882420070730001076
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Korean Journal of Medicine
2007 Volume.73 No. 0 p.1076 ~ p.1080
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A case of systemic sclerosis with good response to rituximab
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Pack Yun-Jung
Lee Su-Yeon
Cho Jae-Hyoung
Oh Seung-Hyun
Lee Joo-Ha
Kim Hyun-Sook
Kim Wan-Uk
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Abstract
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Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by tissue fibrosis. Classically the pathogenesis of SSc involves three main disease processes including mainly T-cell mediated upregulated autoimmunity, excess fibrosis due to increased fibroblast activity and proliferative obliterating vasculopathy. However, recent studies suggest that SSc patients have intrinsic B cell abnormalities characterized by decreased but activated memory B cells. Augmented cytokine production, by B cells, is a potential candidate for the induction of skin sclerosis. In addition, B cells may influence tissue fibrosis by regulating T cell activation and cytokine production through their antigen-presenting and co-stimulatory activities. Current data obtained from studies on B-cell ablation therapy using rituximab for autoimmune diseases show good tolerability and sustained improvement in disease symptoms. We treated a patient with refractory SSc who showed improvement of the skin sclerosis after rituximab therapy.(Korean J Med 73:S1076-S1080, 2007)
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KEYWORD
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Systemic sclerosis, Rituximab
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