For the purpose of this discussion topic paper, I reviewed the article Rituximab as a treatment for severe atopic eczema: failure to improve in three consecutive patients. The article discussed the study of three consecutive patients with severe atopic eczema (red, itchy skin) that they treated with rituximab infusions, but the infusions failed to improve the condition. The article also mentions three other case studies that varied in results. Considering the small sample used in the main study of this article and the contradicting findings of other sited studies, I do not find that the main study, alone, is an adequate one to draw any type of final conclusion about whether or not rituximab is a successful method of treatment for severe atopic eczema.
In the main study of this article, there were three patients treated with rituximab infusions; ages varying from 47-54, both male and female patients, and variations of severity of atopic eczema. Previously, all three patients treated …show more content…
In short, the first study treated six patients and there was an average of 21 points improvement of Eczema Area and Severity Index scores. The second study saw two patients treated with lower doses of rituximab and showed an improvement in one patient, while the other patient’s symptoms worsened, according to their SCORing Atopic Dermatitis scores (which is another type of “objective assessment”).
Finally, in the third study mentioned in this article, six patients received a cycled treatment alternating in a non-predetermined order between omalizumab and rituximab, some beginning with omalizumab and some beginning with rituximab. In addition, all of these patients received an induction cycle of rituximab and only four of the patients received a maintenance cycle of the drug. Even though there was no assessment used in this study, patients’ symptoms did reportedly
In the main study of this article, there were three patients treated with rituximab infusions; ages varying from 47-54, both male and female patients, and variations of severity of atopic eczema. Previously, all three patients treated …show more content…
In short, the first study treated six patients and there was an average of 21 points improvement of Eczema Area and Severity Index scores. The second study saw two patients treated with lower doses of rituximab and showed an improvement in one patient, while the other patient’s symptoms worsened, according to their SCORing Atopic Dermatitis scores (which is another type of “objective assessment”).
Finally, in the third study mentioned in this article, six patients received a cycled treatment alternating in a non-predetermined order between omalizumab and rituximab, some beginning with omalizumab and some beginning with rituximab. In addition, all of these patients received an induction cycle of rituximab and only four of the patients received a maintenance cycle of the drug. Even though there was no assessment used in this study, patients’ symptoms did reportedly