rituximab + corticosteroids

Rituximab + corticosteroids is a combination therapy consisting of rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody targeting the CD20 antigen on B lymphocytes, and corticosteroids, which are synthetic analogs of endogenous glucocorticoids with broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. Rituximab depletes B cells through mechanisms including complement-dependent cytotoxicity, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and induction of apoptosis. Corticosteroids modulate gene expression to suppress immune responses and inflammation. This combination is used primarily for autoimmune diseases such as anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and refractory immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The rationale for combining these agents is to achieve rapid disease control by leveraging the immediate immunosuppressive action of corticosteroids alongside the longer-term B-cell depletion provided by rituximab[1][2][3][4].