Diagnostic Criteria, Classification Lacking for Vasculitis; New Research in Treatment for Systemic Sclerosis

Encouraging results have been collected recently for the use of rituximab, anti-IL6 tocilizumab and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) in systemic sclerosis, offering the hope of more options to patients who fail first-line therapy, which Dr. Varga said remains mycophenolate mofetil.

In one of the more recent studies, refractory patients with active diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis were treated with IVIg, and the results were similar to those that MMF can produce, researchers found.⁶

But Dr. Varga emphasized that “Phase 3, randomized controlled trial data are needed.”

Thomas R. Collins is a freelance medical writer based in Florida.

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