Ioana Diana Dumitraș

Dr. Ioana Diana Dumitraș

Dermatology Department, Spitalul Universitar de Urgență Elias, Bucharest, Bucureşti, Romania

Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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25 September 2024 in Life
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
Liliana Gabriela PopaLiliana Gabriela Popa
Liliana Gabriela Popa
IDIoana Diana Dumitraș
Ioana Diana Dumitraș
CGCalin Giurcaneanu
Calin Giurcaneanu
Nicolae Ovidiu BerghiNicolae Ovidiu Berghi
Nicolae Ovidiu Berghi
DRDiana Sabina Radaschin
Diana Sabina Radaschin
Cristina PopescuCristina Popescu
Cristina Popescu
Autoimmune blistering diseases represent a group of chronic severe, disabling, and potentially fatal disorders of the skin and/or mucous membranes, primarily mediated by pathogenic auto-antibodies. Despite their rarity, these diseases are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and profound negative impact on the patient’s quality of life and impose a considerable economic burden. Rituximab, an anti-CD-20 monoclonal antibody, represents the first line of therapy for pemphigus, regardless of severity and a valuable off-label therapeutic alternative for subepidermal autoimmune blistering diseases as it ensures high rates of rapid, long-lasting complete remission. Nevertheless, disease recurrence is the rule, all patients requiring maintenance therapy with rituximab eventually. While innate resistance to rituximab in pemphigus patients is exceptional, acquired resistance is frequent and may develop even in patients with initial complete response to rituximab, representing a real challenge for physicians. We discuss the various resistance mechanisms and their complex interplay, as well as the numerous therapeutic alternatives that may be used to circumvent rituximab resistance. As no therapeutic measure is universally efficient, individualization of rituximab treatment regimen and tailored adjuvant therapies in refractory autoimmune blistering diseases are mandatory.