When the drug is used in combination with chemotherapy drugs (R-X regimens) which can also cause respiratory problems, the respective role of each drug in causing the reaction can be difficult to evaluate (PMID 15857843), even though authors may specifically attribute causality of the AE to rituximab. When used as a solo agent for instance to treat connective tissue disease, rituximab can cause lung reactions on its own. Rituximab also exposes to the risk of pneumocystis pneumonia, which can be prevented (PMID 22157468, 23258406). Rituximab may induce hypogammaglobulinemia, which may result in infection, airway inflammation, bronchiolitis and bronchiectasis

Last update : 18/09/2022
I - Interstitial/parenchymal lung disease
II - Pulmonary edema - Acute lung injury - ARDS
III - Pulmonary/alveolar./airway hemorrhage/bleeding
IV - Airway involvement
VII - Mediastinal involvement
VIII - Central-large-upper airway (incl. pharyngeal-nasal) involvement
IX - Neuromuscular / CNS involvement - Disordered breathing during sleep
X - Systemic/Distant conditions, syndromes and reactions
XI - Miscellaneous
XII - Cardiovascular involvement / toxicity
XV - Pathology
XVII - Infections & related conditions
XIX - Cytological, biochemical features of/in BAL, pleural fluid or FNA
XXI - Rechallenge data