AUTHOR=Ma Rui , Wu Dengyan , He Zhiqin , Chang Qian , Yang Yonghong 

TITLE=Case Report: Complete Remission of C1q Nephropathy Treated With a Single Low-Dose Rituximab, a Reality or Coincidence?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.568773

DOI=10.3389/fped.2020.568773

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=C1q nephropathy is a glomerulopathy that is characterized by large amount of Clq deposits in the glomerular mesangium, with exclusion of systemic lupus erythematosus and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis by systemic and serological examination. The pathogenesis of C1q nephropathy is, however, unclear. In addition, treatment and prognosis for pediatric C1q nephropathy have no characteristics due to diversities in clinical manifestations and pathological types. Rituximab is a human/mouse chimeric monoclonal antibody against CD20, which is primarily used for treating lymphomas and, most recently, is used to treat certain kidney diseases including C1q nephropathy. In this report we used one quarter of the typical dose of rituximab for lymphoma treatment to achieve complete remission in a C1q nephropathy patient, significantly reducing deposition of immune complexes and glomerular damage. This case raises discussion of whether dosage of rituximab for treating pediatric C1q nephropathy can be redefined.