Failure of rituximab in human immunodeficiency virus-associated multicentric Castleman disease

Abstract

Two human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients who needed etoposide therapy to control exacerbations of Castleman disease received four infusions of rituximab. Clinical and virologic relapses with increased blood human herpesvirus-8 DNA levels occurred in both patients 4 and 24 weeks later and were associated with a worsening of Kaposi sarcoma.