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Rituximab is a brand name drug that belongs to the group of effects on the immune system and against cancer. The active ingredient in the drug is Rituximab 500 mg. Many doctors recommend against using Rituximab in patients with severe bacterial or fungal infections.
1. What is Rituximab?
Rituximab belongs to a group of drugs that act on the immune system and fight cancer. Commonly used brand names are: Mabthera, Rituxan. Rituximab contains the active ingredient Rituximab. The drug can be prepared in the form of:
Concentrated solution and then mixed into an infusion solution; Injections. The packaging of the drug includes 1 vial with a capacity of 10ml or 50ml with a concentration of 10mg/ml.
2. What does Rituximab do?
You can use Rituximab alone or in combination with certain other medicines to treat cancers such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Rituximab contained in the drug is a transmembrane protein, essentially a monoclonal antibody that acts against the CD20 antigen. In vitro tests have shown that rituximab can make some drug-resistant lymphoma cells more sensitive to some cytotoxic drugs (Doxorubicin). The effect of Rituximab is to destroy B lymphocytes, so they are used to treat patients with large amounts of B lymphocytes or overactive B lymphocytes. Some diseases can be mentioned as: Lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis), transplant rejection.
Rituximab and methotrexate can be used together to increase the effectiveness of treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (moderate to severe). However, you should only use this medicine when other medicines do not work or do not give the desired effect (infliximab, etanercept). Rituximab is effective for pain relief, but it can cause joint pain.
3. Dosage of Rituximab and instructions for use
Rituximab drug can be introduced into the body by injection, intravenous infusion. To limit reactions during and after the infusion, you can use a combination of Acetaminophen and an antihistamine before the infusion. Dosage of Rituximab 500mg for each case:
For people with rheumatoid arthritis should take Methylprednisolone 100mg or a drug with similar effects 30 minutes before infusion to limit the infusion reactions Translate; For people with B-cell lymphoma (non-hodgkin): use 375mg/m2/week, use within 4-8 weeks or longer; For patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia: 375mg/m2 in the first cycle, then increase to 500mg/m2 every 28 days in cycles 2-6; Use 375mg/m2 for granulomatous disease, microscopic polykeratitis or polykeratitis; Rheumatoid arthritis: Perform injection/infusion for the patient 1000mg (2 times), each time 2 weeks apart. Patients need injections/reinfusions every 16 to 24 weeks. Currently, there are no documents proving the safety of Rituximab for children, so it is not recommended to use it on your own.
4. Possible side effects Patients may experience some common allergic symptoms such as rash; difficulty breathing; swelling of the lips, face, tongue, and throat.
Some cases have appeared after taking the drug after 24 hours of injection. The reactions are shortness of breath, body fatigue, chest pain, wheezing, arrhythmia, rapid heart rate, sudden cough, fluttering in the chest.
Using Rituximab can make you more likely to get a serious viral infection in your brain, resulting in injury or death. If you have any of the following symptoms, seek medical help right away: Inability to concentrate, confusion, difficulty speaking and walking, impaired vision, Weakness on one side of the body.
After you have injected the medicine for several months or have finished the course of treatment, there is still a possibility of serious side effects such as:
Body aches, fever, flu, weakness, fatigue; persistent cold symptoms such as sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat, mouth sores, headache, feeling hot or swollen in the skin; Less urine, blood in the urine, pain or burning when urinating; Patients with severe rash accompanied by itching, blistering and, in more severe cases, may appear pus; There are overactive reflexes, fainting; Muscle tightness, lower back pain, numbness or tingling in the mouth. Side effects after using Rituximab appear with common frequency:
Mild stomach pain; Nausea; Diarrhea ; Muscle and joint pain; Backache; Sweating at night. 5. What to do if you miss a dose of Rituximab You should take it as soon as you remember. However, in case it is too close to the time of taking the next dose, you should skip the missed dose and continue taking the medicine as directed. You absolutely do not double to make up the dose.
6. Some things to be careful about when using Rituximab
Before deciding to use any medicine you should talk to your doctor about the benefits and side effects that the drug brings. Besides, the doctor needs to be careful when prescribing the drug to the following subjects:
Allergies: You need to inform your doctor about the types of allergies you may have such as allergies to ingredients in drugs, food allergies, preservatives, animal dander, pollen,...; Children: There is no evidence on the safety of Rituximab for children under 18 years of age; Elderly people: During the circulation of the drug, no geriatric problems have been recorded. However, older patients often have a higher risk of liver, kidney and heart diseases than the general population. Therefore, caution should be exercised when prescribing Rituximab for this group of subjects. In addition, it is necessary to adjust the dose in accordance with the patient's condition; For people who are pregnant or in the process of breastfeeding, it is necessary to consider carefully before using the drug a. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and harms that the drug may cause to you and your baby. Rituximab should be stored at a temperature of 2-8 degrees Celsius. Do not give or store the medicine in the bathroom or toilet. For the diluted solution, it should be stored at 2-8 degrees Celsius in the refrigerator and used within 24 hours.
Rituximab has the ability to affect the body's immune system and fight some types of cancer. The process of drug infusion needs to be done under the supervision of medical staff, doctors, nurses. This helps to minimize possible reactions.
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