Different Dosage Regimens of Rituximab in Primary Membranous Nephropathy Treatment: A Systematic Review

Yi Yu,1 Ricong Xu,1 Zhijian Li,2,3 Qijun Wan1 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, The Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518039, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of China; 3NHC Key Laboratory of Clinical Nephrology (Sun Yat-sen University) and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Nephrology, Guangzhou, 510080, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Qijun Wan, Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, The Second People’s Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518039, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) is one of the prevalent pathological types of adult primary nephrotic syndrome. Pathogenic autoantibodies targeting podocyte antigens such as phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) lead to the disease. Patients frequently experience notable adverse effects when treated with conventional immunosuppressive therapies. Rituximab (RTX), a mouse/human monoclonal antibody, selectively depletes B cells and leads to a decrease in the antibody levels in the circulation, which helps to alleviate membranous nephropathy. Various RTX dosage regimens have been applied globally in the PMN treatment with satisfactory effects. Nevertheless, the optimal dosage of RTX has yet to be determined. This article reviews the application of different doses of RTX in the management of PMN so far.Keywords: membranous nephropathy, nephrotic syndrome, rituximab, dosage