Background and objective In patients with severe interstitial lung disease (ILD) progressing
despite conventional immunosuppression, rituximab, a B‐lymphocyte depleting monoclonal
antibody, may offer an effective rescue therapy. Methods Retrospective assessment of 50
patients with severe, progressive ILD (of varying aetiologies, excluding idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis (IPF)) treated with rituximab between 2010 and 2012. Change in pulmonary function
tests compared with pre‐rituximab levels was assessed at 6–12 months post‐treatment …

Background In a subgroup of patients with severe interstitial lung disease (ILD) progressing
despite conventional immunosuppression, rituximab, a B cell-depleting monoclonal
antibody, may offer an effective rescue therapy. Methods Retrospective assessment of 50
patients with severe, progressive ILD (34 with connective tissue disease-associated ILD, 7
with fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, 3 with likely drug-induced ILD, the rest with
miscellaneous ILD patterns, excluding idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) treated with rituximab …