Rituximab-induced Acute Thrombocytopenia in Systemic Sclerosis: A Case Report of Two Cases

Rituximab is frequently used to treat hematological and autoimmune diseases. Rituximab-induced acute thrombocytopenia (RIAT) is a rare adverse event associated with the use of this drug. In this report, we describe two cases of RIAT in patients with systemic sclerosis. Severe thrombocytopenia was observed in both patients following the second rituximab infusion. In addition, mild leukopenia, hypocomplementemia, and systemic inflammation were observed. Most previous reports have described RIAT in patients with hematological malignancies, but patients with autoimmune diseases may also develop this condition.