{"id":25829,"date":"2022-09-28T10:35:19","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T10:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=25829"},"modified":"2022-09-30T12:26:59","modified_gmt":"2022-09-30T12:26:59","slug":"truxima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/truxima\/","title":{"rendered":"Truxima &#8211; Rituximab uses, dose and side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>100 mg&nbsp;concentrate for&nbsp;infusion&nbsp;solution<br>rituximab<a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Truxima is and what it is used for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What Truxima is<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima contains the active substance rituximab.\u00a0This is a type of\u00a0protein\u00a0called a monoclonal\u00a0antibody.\u00a0Rituximab binds to the surface of a type of\u00a0white blood cell,\u00a0B lymphocytes.\u00a0When rituximab binds to the surface of this cell, it causes the cell to die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What Truxima is used for<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima can be used to treat several different diseases in adults.&nbsp;Your doctor may prescribe Truxima to treat:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>a)&nbsp;Non-Hodgkin&#8217;s lymphoma<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a disease of the\u00a0lymphatic system\u00a0(part of the immune system) that affects a type of white blood cell,\u00a0the B-lymphocytes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima can be given alone or together with\u00a0chemotherapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In patients where the treatment works, the use of Truxima can be continued for 2 years after the initial treatment has been completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>b) Chronic lymphocytic leukemia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chronic lymphocytic leukemia\u00a0(\u00a0CLL\u00a0) is the most common form of\u00a0leukemia\u00a0in adults.\u00a0CLL\u00a0affects a special\u00a0lymphocyte, the B\u2011cell, which originates from\u00a0bone marrow\u00a0and develops in\u00a0lymph nodes.\u00a0Patients with\u00a0CLL\u00a0have too many abnormal\u00a0lymphocytes, which accumulate mainly in the\u00a0bone marrow\u00a0and blood.\u00a0The proliferation of these abnormal\u00a0B lymphocytes\u00a0is the cause of the symptoms you may have.\u00a0Truxima in combination with\u00a0chemotherapy\u00a0destroys these cells, which gradually disappear from the body through biological processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>c) Rheumatoid arthritis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima is used to treat\u00a0joint rheumatism\u00a0(\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0).\u00a0Rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0is a disease of the joints and\u00a0the B lymphocytes\u00a0cause some of the symptoms you have.\u00a0Truxima is used to treat\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0in people who have already tried other medicines, but these have either stopped working, have not worked well enough, or have caused\u00a0side effects.\u00a0Truxima is usually taken together with another medicine called methotrexate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima slows down the damage to your joints caused by&nbsp;rheumatoid arthritis&nbsp;and increases your ability to perform your daily tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima works best in those patients who have rheumatoid factor (RF) and\/or anti-cyclic citrullinated&nbsp;peptide&nbsp;(anti-CCP).&nbsp;This is demonstrated by taking one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both tests are usually positive for\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis\u00a0and aid in diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>d) Granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima is used in combination with&nbsp;corticosteroids&nbsp;to treat patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as&nbsp;Wegener&#8217;s granulomatosis&nbsp;) or microscopic polyangiitis.&nbsp;Granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis are two forms of&nbsp;inflammation&nbsp;in the blood vessels that mainly affect the lungs and kidneys, but can also affect other organs.&nbsp;B lymphocytes&nbsp;are a contributing factor to these conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>e) Pemphigus vulgaris<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima is used to treat patients with moderate to severe\u00a0pemphigus\u00a0Vulgaris.\u00a0Pemphigus\u00a0Vulgaris is an\u00a0autoimmune\u00a0disease that causes painful blisters on the skin, mouth, nose, throat, and genitals.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What you need to know before you use Truxima<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not take Truxima if:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>you are allergic to rituximab, other\u00a0proteins\u00a0similar to rituximab, or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (see section 6).<\/li><li>you currently have a severe active\u00a0infection.<\/li><li>you have a weakened immune system.<\/li><li>you have severe\u00a0heart failure\u00a0or severe uncontrolled heart disease and have\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, or pemphigus Vulgaris.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not take Truxima if any of the above applies to you.\u00a0If you are not sure, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before you receive Truxima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Warnings and precautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before using Truxima if:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Do you think you have\u00a0hepatitis B\u00a0infection\u00a0now or have had it in the past?\u00a0In a few cases, patients who had\u00a0hepatitis\u00a0B have relapsed, which can be fatal in very rare cases.\u00a0Patients who have previously had\u00a0hepatitis\u00a0B\u00a0infection\u00a0should be checked regularly by their doctor for signs of this\u00a0infection.<\/li><li>you have ever had heart disease (e.g.\u00a0angina pectoris\u00a0), palpitations, heart failure,\u00a0or breathing problems?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If any of the above apply to you (or if you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given Truxima.&nbsp;Your doctor may need to monitor you extra closely during treatment with Truxima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you have\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis<\/strong>, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, or pemphigus Vulgaris<strong>, you should also tell your doctor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>if you think you have an\u00a0infection, even a mild\u00a0infection\u00a0such as a cold.\u00a0The cells affected by Truxima help fight\u00a0infection\u00a0and you should wait until the\u00a0infection\u00a0has passed before you receive Truxima.\u00a0Also, tell your doctor if you have had many\u00a0infections\u00a0in the past or suffer from severe\u00a0infections.<\/li><li>if you think you need a vaccination shortly, including vaccinations needed to travel to other countries.\u00a0Some vaccines should not be given at the same time as Truxima or in the months after you receive Truxima.\u00a0Your doctor will check if you need any vaccinations before you receive Truxima.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children and young people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse before you or your child receives this medicine if you or your child is under 18 years of age.\u00a0This is because there is not much information on the treatment of children and adolescents with Truxima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other medicines and Truxima<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including over-the-counter and herbal medicines.\u00a0This is because Truxima can affect how other medicines work.\u00a0Other medicines can also affect how Truxima works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor especially about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>you are taking medication for high\u00a0blood pressure.\u00a0You may be asked not to take your medicines for 12 hours before you receive Truxima.\u00a0This is because some patients experience a drop in blood pressure when receiving Truxima.<\/li><li>if you have ever taken medicines that affect your immune systems \u2013 such as\u00a0chemotherapy\u00a0or immunosuppressive medicines.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If any of the above apply to you (or if you are not sure), talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given Truxima.<a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You must tell your doctor or nurse if you are pregnant if you think you are pregnant or if you are planning to become pregnant.\u00a0This is because Truxima can cross the placenta and affect your baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can become pregnant, you and your partner must use effective contraception during treatment with Truxima and for 12 months after the last treatment with Truxima.&nbsp;You should not breastfeed while you are being treated with Truxima.&nbsp;You should also not breastfeed for 12 months after your last treatment with Truxima.&nbsp;This is because Truxima can pass into breast milk.<a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Driving ability and use of machinery<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is not known whether Truxima affects your ability to drive or use machines.<a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Truxima contains sodium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine contains 52.6 mg of\u00a0sodium\u00a0(the main ingredient in common\/table salt) per 10 mL\u00a0vial.\u00a0This corresponds to 2.6% of the maximum recommended daily intake of\u00a0sodium\u00a0for adults.<br><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use Truxima<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How it is given<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima will be given to you by a doctor or nurse experienced in the use of this treatment.\u00a0They will monitor you closely while you are being treated with this medicine in case you get any\u00a0side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You will always receive Truxima as a drip (&nbsp;intravenous&nbsp;infusion&nbsp;).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Medicines are given before each\u00a0administration\u00a0of Truxima<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you receive Truxima, you will receive other medicines (pre-medication) to prevent or reduce possible\u00a0side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>How much and how often you will receive your treatment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>a) If you are being treated for&nbsp;non-Hodgkin&#8217;s lymphoma<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><em>If you are treated with Truxima alone<\/em><br>Truxima will be given to you once a week for a total of 4 weeks.\u00a0Repeated treatments with Truxima are possible.<\/li><li><em>If you are treated with Truxima in combination with\u00a0chemotherapy<\/em><br>Truxima will be given to you on the same day as your\u00a0chemotherapy.\u00a0This is usually given every three weeks up to 8 times.<\/li><li>If you respond well to treatment, you can receive Truxima every two or three months for two years.<br>Your doctor may change this depending on how you respond to the medicine.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>b) If you are being treated for pre-chronic lymphocytic leukemia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you are treated with Truxima in combination with\u00a0chemotherapy, you will receive a Truxima\u00a0infusion\u00a0on day 0 of the first cycle and then on day 1 of each treatment cycle, for a total of 6 cycles.\u00a0Each cycle lasts 28 days. The chemotherapy should be given after the Truxima\u00a0infusion.\u00a0Your doctor will decide if you should receive any further supportive treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>c) If you are being treated for rheumatoid arthritis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each round of treatment consists of two separate&nbsp;infusions&nbsp;given 2 weeks apart.&nbsp;Repeated treatments with Truxima are possible.&nbsp;Depending on the signs and symptoms of your disease, your doctor will decide when to give you more Truxima.&nbsp;This may take several months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>d) If you are being treated for granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment with Truxima consists of four separate&nbsp;infusions&nbsp;given one week apart.&nbsp;Corticosteroids will usually be given by&nbsp;injection&nbsp;before Truxima treatment.&nbsp;Corticosteroids given by mouth may be started at any time by your doctor to treat your condition.&nbsp;If you respond well to treatment, you can receive Truxima as maintenance treatment.&nbsp;It will be given as 2 separate infusions 2 weeks apart, followed by 1&nbsp;infusion&nbsp;every 6 months for at least 2 years.&nbsp;Your doctor may decide to treat you longer with Truxima (up to 5 years) depending on how you respond to the medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>e) If you are being treated for\u00a0pemphigus\u00a0Vulgaris<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each round of treatment consists of two separate infusions given 2 weeks apart.&nbsp;If you respond well to treatment, you can receive Truxima as maintenance treatment.&nbsp;It will be given for one year<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>after and 18 months after the first treatment and then every six months as needed, or your doctor may change this depending on how you respond to treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any further questions about this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Possible side effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like all medicines, this medicine can cause\u00a0side effects, although not everybody gets them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;are mild to moderate, but some can be serious and require treatment.&nbsp;In rare cases, these&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;have been fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Infusion reactions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During or within the first 24 hours after\u00a0an infusion, you may experience fever, chills, and tremors.\u00a0Less commonly, some patients may experience pain at the infusion site, blistering,\u00a0itching, nausea, fatigue, headache, difficulty breathing, increased\u00a0blood pressure, wheezing, sore throat, swelling of the tongue and throat, itchy or runny nose, vomiting, flushing, or irregular heartbeat, heart attack or low\u00a0platelet count.\u00a0If you have heart disease or angina, these infusion reactions may worsen.\u00a0Tell the person giving you the\u00a0infusion\u00a0immediately\u00a0if you develop any of these symptoms, because the\u00a0infusion may need to be given more slowly or stopped.\u00a0You may also need supplements for the treatment such as\u00a0antihistamine\u00a0or\u00a0paracetamol.\u00a0When the symptoms disappear or improve, the\u00a0infusion\u00a0can be continued.\u00a0These reactions are less likely to happen after the second\u00a0infusion.\u00a0Your doctor may decide to stop your treatment with Truxima if these reactions are severe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Infection&nbsp;you<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tell your doctor immediately if you develop symptoms of&nbsp;infection&nbsp;such as:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>fever, cough, sore throat, burning pain when urinating, or if you start to feel weak or generally ill<\/li><li>memory loss, difficulty thinking, difficulty walking, or vision loss &#8211; these may be due to a very rare, serious\u00a0infection\u00a0of the brain that has been fatal (\u00a0progressive\u00a0multifocal\u00a0leukoencephalopathy or PML).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You may get an\u00a0infection\u00a0more easily during your treatment with Truxima.\u00a0Often it is colds, but there have been cases of\u00a0pneumonia\u00a0or urinary tract infections.\u00a0These are listed under &#8220;Other side effects&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are being treated for\u00a0rheumatoid arthritis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, or\u00a0pemphigus\u00a0Vulgaris, you will also find this information in the patient card given to you by your doctor.\u00a0You must keep this patient card and show it to your partner or caregiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Skin reactions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In very rare cases, severe skin blistering conditions, which can be life-threatening, can occur.\u00a0Redness, often associated with blisters, may appear on the skin or mucous membranes, such as in the mouth, around the genitals, or the eyelids, and fever may occur.\u00a0<strong>Tell your doctor immediately if you get any of these symptoms.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Other&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;include:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>a) If you are being treated for&nbsp;non-Hodgkin&#8217;s lymphoma&nbsp;<\/strong><strong>or chronic lymphocytic leukemia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>bacterial\u00a0or viral infection,\u00a0bronchitis\u00a0(\u00a0tracheal catarrh\u00a0)<\/li><li>the low number of\u00a0white blood cells\u00a0in the blood, with or without fever, low number of\u00a0platelets\u00a0in the blood<\/li><li>nausea<\/li><li>bald spots on the head, chills, headache<\/li><li>lower immunity due to a decrease in the number of certain specific\u00a0antibodies\u00a0in the blood (\u00a0immunoglobulins\u00a0(IgG) which help protect against\u00a0infection\u00a0).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infection\u00a0in the blood (blood poisoning), pneumonia,\u00a0shingles, cold, tracheal infection, fungal infections,\u00a0infection\u00a0of unknown origin, sinusitis,\u00a0hepatitis\u00a0B<\/li><li>the low number of\u00a0red blood cells\u00a0in the blood (\u00a0anemia,\u00a0anemia\u00a0), low number of all\u00a0blood\u00a0cells<\/li><li>allergic reactions (hypersensitivity)<\/li><li>increased blood sugar, weight loss, swelling of the face and body, high levels of the\u00a0enzyme\u00a0lactate\u00a0dehydrogenase\u00a0(LDH) in the blood, decreased amount of\u00a0calcium\u00a0in the blood<\/li><li>abnormal sensations such as numbness, tingling, burning sensation, crawling of the skin, reduced sensation<\/li><li>restlessness, insomnia<\/li><li>redness\u00a0of the face and other areas of the skin as a consequence of dilated blood vessels<\/li><li>dizziness, restlessness<\/li><li>increased production of tears and tear secretion, eye inflammation (conjunctivitis)<\/li><li>ringing in the ears, pain in the ears<\/li><li>heart disease such as heart attack, irregular or abnormally high heart rate<\/li><li>high or low\u00a0blood pressure\u00a0(low\u00a0blood pressure, especially when standing up)<\/li><li>the tension of the muscles in the airways causing wheezing (\u00a0bronchospasm\u00a0),\u00a0inflammation, irritation of the lungs, throat, or sinuses, shortness of breath, runny nose<\/li><li>vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, throat and mouth irritation or sores, difficulty swallowing, constipation, indigestion<\/li><li>eating disorders: decreased appetite leading to weight loss 48<\/li><li>hives, increased sweating, night sweats<\/li><li>symptoms in muscles such as tense muscles, joint or muscle pain, back and neck pain<\/li><li>general malaise symptoms or feeling unwell or tired, shaking, flu symptoms<\/li><li>deterioration of multiple organs.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Uncommon&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>blood clotting disorders, reduction in the production of\u00a0red blood cells\u00a0and increased breakdown of\u00a0red blood cells\u00a0(aplastic\u00a0hemolytic anemia\u00a0), swollen or enlarged\u00a0lymph nodes<\/li><li>depressed mood and lack of interest in usual activities, nervousness<\/li><li>taste change<\/li><li>heart diseases such as decreased heart rate or chest pain (angina)<\/li><li>asthma, too little oxygen reaching the body&#8217;s organs<\/li><li>swollen abdomen.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Very rare&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>temporary increase in different types of\u00a0antibodies\u00a0in the blood (\u00a0immunoglobulins\u00a0\u2013 IgM), chemical disturbances in the blood caused by the breakdown of dying cancer cells<\/li><li>nerve damage in arms and legs, facial paralysis<\/li><li>heart failure<\/li><li>inflamed blood vessels, including those that can cause skin symptoms<\/li><li>respiratory failure<\/li><li>damage to the intestinal wall (perforation)<\/li><li>severe conditions with skin blisters that can be life-threatening.\u00a0Redness, often associated with blisters, may appear on the skin or mucous membranes, such as in the mouth, around the genitals, or on the eyelids, and fever may occur.<\/li><li>kidney failure<\/li><li>and severe visual impairment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Not known frequency (it is not known how often these&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;occur):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>delayed reduction of\u00a0white blood cells<\/li><li>decrease in\u00a0platelets\u00a0soon after\u00a0infusion\u00a0\u2013 may be temporary but in rare cases can be fatal<\/li><li>hearing loss, loss of other senses<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>b) If you are being treated for rheumatoid arthritis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infection\u00a0such as\u00a0pneumonia\u00a0(bacterial)<\/li><li>pain when urinating (urinary tract infection)<\/li><li>allergic reactions that are most likely to occur during an\u00a0infusion\u00a0but may occur up to 24 hours after\u00a0infusion<\/li><li>changes in\u00a0blood pressure, nausea, rash, fever,\u00a0itching, runny or stuffy nose as well as sneezing, tremors, palpitations, and fatigue<\/li><li>headache<\/li><li>changes in laboratory tests performed by attending physicians.\u00a0These include a decrease in the number of certain specific\u00a0proteins\u00a0in the blood (\u00a0immunoglobulins\u00a0) that help protect against\u00a0infection.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infection\u00a0such as bronchial\u00a0catarrh\u00a0(\u00a0bronchitis\u00a0)<\/li><li>the feeling of tightness or throbbing pain behind the nose, cheeks, and eyes (sinusitis), abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, breathing difficulties<\/li><li>athlete&#8217;s foot<\/li><li>high cholesterol levels in the blood<\/li><li>abnormal sensations, such as numbness, tingling, burning sensation, skin crawling, sciatic pain,\u00a0migraine, dizziness<\/li><li>hair loss<\/li><li>anxiety, depression<\/li><li>indigestion, diarrhea, acid reflux, irritation, and\/or sores in the throat and mouth<\/li><li>pain in the stomach, back, muscles, and\/or joints.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Uncommon&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>fluid accumulation in the face and body<\/li><li>inflammation, irritation and\/or tightness in the lungs and throat, cough<\/li><li>skin reactions including\u00a0hives,\u00a0itching,\u00a0and rash<\/li><li>allergic reactions including wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of the face and tongue, and collapse.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Very rare&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>a series of symptoms that appear within a few weeks after Truxima\u00a0infusion\u00a0including allergy-like reactions such as skin rash,\u00a0itching, joint pain, swollen\u00a0lymph nodes,\u00a0and fever.<\/li><li>severe conditions with skin blisters that can be life-threatening.\u00a0Redness, often associated with blisters, may appear on the skin or mucous membranes such as in the mouth, around the genitals, or on the eyelids, and fever may occur.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Other rarely reported\u00a0side effects\u00a0caused by Truxima to include a decreased number of white blood cells (\u00a0neutrophils\u00a0) that help fight\u00a0infection.\u00a0Some\u00a0infections\u00a0can be serious (see the information on\u00a0<strong><em>Infections\u00a0within<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0this section).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>c) If you are being treated for granulomatosis with polyangiitis or microscopic polyangiitis<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infection, such as\u00a0respiratory\u00a0tract infection,\u00a0urinary tract infection (pain when urinating), colds, and\u00a0herpes\u00a0&#8211;\u00a0infection<\/li><li>allergic reactions that are most likely to occur during an\u00a0infusion, but can occur up to 24 hours after\u00a0an\u00a0infusion<\/li><li>diarrhea<\/li><li>cough or shortness of breath<\/li><li>nosebleed<\/li><li>elevated\u00a0blood pressure<\/li><li>joint or back pain<\/li><li>muscle twitching and muscle weakness<\/li><li>feeling of dizziness<\/li><li>tremors (often in the hands)<\/li><li>difficulty sleeping (insomnia)<\/li><li>swelling of the hands or ankles<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>indigestion<\/li><li>constipation<\/li><li>skin rash, including\u00a0acne\u00a0or pimples 49<\/li><li>flaring or\u00a0redness\u00a0of the skin<\/li><li>fever<\/li><li>nasal congestion or runny nose<\/li><li>tense or painful muscles<\/li><li>pain in the muscles or the hands or feet<\/li><li>low\u00a0red blood cell count\u00a0(\u00a0anemia\u00a0)<\/li><li>the low number of\u00a0platelets\u00a0in the blood<\/li><li>an increase in the amount of\u00a0potassium\u00a0in the blood<\/li><li>change in heart rhythm, or the heart beating faster than usual<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Very rare&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>severe conditions with skin blisters that can be life-threatening.\u00a0Redness, often associated with blisters, may appear on the skin or mucous membranes such as in the mouth, around the genitals, or on the eyelids, and fever may occur.<\/li><li>reactivation of previous\u00a0hepatitis\u00a0B\u00a0infection<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>d) If you\u00a0<\/strong><strong>are being treated for pemphigus Vulgaris<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Very common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>allergic reactions are most likely to occur during an\u00a0infusion, but may occur up to 24 hours after infusion<\/li><li>prolonged depression<\/li><li>hair loss<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Common&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>infection\u00a0such as herpes infections and eye infections<\/li><li>mood effects such as irritation and depression<\/li><li>skin effects such as\u00a0itching, hives, and benign nodules<\/li><li>tiredness or dizziness<\/li><li>fever<\/li><li>headache<\/li><li>stomach pain<\/li><li>muscle pain<\/li><li>the heart beats faster than usual<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima may also cause changes in laboratory tests performed by your doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you receive Truxima in combination with other medicines, some of the side effects you may experience may be due to the other medicines.<br><a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to store Truxima<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep this medicine out of sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use before the expiry date stated on the carton after Expiration.&nbsp;dat.&nbsp;The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Store in a refrigerator (2 \u00b0C \u2013 8 \u00b0C).&nbsp;Store in the outer carton.&nbsp;Light sensitive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medicines must not be thrown into the drain or among the household waste.\u00a0Ask the pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer used.\u00a0These measures will help to protect the environment.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contents of the packaging and other information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Contents declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The active substance in Truxima is rituximab.\u00a0The vial contains 100 mg rituximab (10 mg\/ml).\u00a0Each ml of concentrate contains 10 mg of rituximab.<\/li><li>Other ingredients are sodium chloride, trisodium citrate dihydrate, polysorbate 80, and water for injections.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Appearance and package sizes of the medicine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Truxima is a clear, colorless solution and is available as a concentrate for\u00a0infusion\u00a0solution, in a\u00a0glass\u00a0vial.\u00a0Pack of 2 vials.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing authorization holder and manufacturer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Celltrion Healthcare Hungary Kft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1062 Budapest<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>V\u00e1ci \u00fat 1-3.&nbsp;WestEnd Office Building B torony<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hungary<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Biotec Services International Ltd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Biotec House, Central Park, Western Avenue<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bridgend Industrial Estate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bridgend, CF31 3RT, United Kingdom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>and<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Units 2100, 2110, 2010, 2120, 2130 and 2500<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phase 18, Central Park<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bridgend Industrial Estate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bridgend, CF31 3TY, United Kingdom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact the representative of the Marketing Authorization Holder if you would like to know more about this medicine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Orion Pharma AB<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Phone: + 46 8 623 64 40<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Truxima contains the active substance rituximab.\u00a0This is a type of\u00a0protein\u00a0called a monoclonal\u00a0antibody\u00a0.\u00a0Rituximab binds to the surface of a type of\u00a0white blood cells\u00a0,\u00a0B lymphocytes\u00a0.\u00a0When rituximab binds to the surface of this cell, it causes the cell to die.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,22500],"tags":[16750,26630,16746,16749,26626,26628,26629,16747,26627,16748],"class_list":["post-25829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-t","tag-benefits-of-rituximab","tag-benefits-of-truxima","tag-rituximab","tag-rituximab-side-effects","tag-truxima","tag-truxima-side-effects","tag-wat-truxima-is-used-for","tag-what-is-rituximab","tag-what-is-truxima","tag-what-rituximab-is-used-for"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25829"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25829\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25927,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25829\/revisions\/25927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}