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Background and objectives Incomplete peripheral blood B cell depletion after rituximab in lupus nephritis might correlate with inability to reduce tubulointerstitial lymphoid aggregates in the kidney, which together could be responsible for inadequate response to treatment. We utilized data from the Lupus Nephritis Assessment with Rituximab (LUNAR) study to characterize the variability of peripheral blood B cell depletion after rituximab and assess its association with complete response in patients with lupus nephritis. Design, setting, participants, 95% CI, 1. 5 to 11; P =0. 008). Conclusions There was substantial variability in peripheral blood B cell depletion in patients with lupus nephritis treated with rituximab from the LUNAR trial. Achievement of complete peripheral depletion, as well as the rapidity and duration of complete peripheral depletion, were associated with complete response at week 78. Podcast This article contains a podcast at https: //www. asn-online. org/media/podcast/CJASN/2018₀9₀6CJASNPodcast₁8₁0_. mp3
Mendez et al. (Wed,) studied this question.