{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T16:54:52Z","timestamp":1767372892693,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]],"date-time":"2021-06-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1624579200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JPM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an intractable autoimmune disease characterized by vasculopathy and organ fibrosis. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) should be considered for the treatment of selected patients with rapid progressive SSc at high risk of organ failure. It, however, remains elusive whether immunosuppressive therapies such as rituximab (RTX) are still necessary for such patients after AHSCT, especially in those with bad outcomes. In the present report, a 43-year-old man with diffuse cutaneous SSc received AHSCT. Despite AHSCT, SSc further progressed with progressive symptomatic heart failure with newly developed concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve insufficiency, thus the patient started on RTX 8 months after AHSCT. Shortly after initiation of RTX, clinical symptoms and organ functions ameliorated subsequently. Heart valve regurgitations were reversible after initiation of RTX treatment. Currently, the patient remains in a stable condition with significant improvement of clinical symptoms and organ functions. Reporting about therapies after AHSCT in SSc is a very important issue, as randomized controlled trials are lacking, and therefore this report adds to evidence that RTX can be considered as a treatment option in patients with SSc that do not respond to AHSCT.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm11070600","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,6,25]],"date-time":"2021-06-25T04:46:57Z","timestamp":1624596417000},"page":"600","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Rituximab as a Treatment Option after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient with Systemic Sclerosis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Paul","family":"Gressenberger","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Philipp","family":"Jud","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gabor","family":"Kovacs","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Pneumology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"},{"name":"Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Lung Vascular Research, 8010 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sonja","family":"Kreuzer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Hans-Peter","family":"Brezinsek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1659-7185","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katharina","family":"Guetl","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Viktoria","family":"Muster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Angiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9349-8068","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ewald","family":"Kolesnik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Albrecht","family":"Schmidt","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8176-5202","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Balazs","family":"Odler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Gabriel","family":"Adelsmayr","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of General Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"Neumeister","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9098-8416","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luka","family":"Brcic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Diagnostic and Research Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sabine","family":"Zenz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, Austria"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kurt","family":"Weber","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University of Graz, 8036 Graz, 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