Rituximab

Administration

  • Type: Antineoplastic/immunosuppressive agent
  • Dosage Forms:
  • Routes of Administration: IV
  • Common Trade Names: Rituxan

Adult Dosing

  • 375 mg/m2 IV infusion, frequency varies by indication, but usually once weekly

Pediatric Dosing

Safety/efficacy not established

Special Populations

Contraindications

  • Allergy to class/drug

Adverse Reactions

Serious

  • Cytopenias, pancytopenia
  • Infectious disease: opportunistic infection, neutropenic fever, sepsis
  • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
  • SJS/TEN
  • Hypotension
  • Supraventricular arrhythmia
  • Tumor lysis syndrome, hypophosphatemia
  • Gastrointestinal perforation
  • Nephrotoxicity
  • Lung injury, bronchospasm
  • Angioedema
  • Infusion reaction

Common

  • Nausea, diarrhea
  • Pruritus
  • Anemia, neutropenia
  • Weakness, muscular spasm, shivering
  • Headache
  • UTI, respiratory infection, fever
  • Peripheral edema

Pharmacology

  • Half-life: 9-75 days
  • Metabolism:
  • Excretion:

Mechanism of Action

  • Monoclonal antibody, induces B cell apoptosis, preventing antigen presentation, T-cell activation, and proinflammatory cytokine cascade

Comments

See Also

References