Title |
Rituximab as first-line therapy in neuromyelitis optica: efficiency and tolerability
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Published in |
Journal of Neurology, July 2015
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DOI | 10.1007/s00415-015-7852-y |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Hélène Zéphir, Raphaël Bernard-Valnet, Christine Lebrun, Olivier Outteryck, Bertrand Audoin, Bertrand Bourre, Sophie Pittion, Sandrine Wiertlewski, Jean Christophe Ouallet, Jean-Philippe Neau, Jonathan Ciron, Pierre Clavelou, Romain Marignier, David Brassat |
Abstract |
Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is a life-threatening disease without any validated treatment strategy. Recent retrospective studies suggested the efficacy of B cell depletion without any distinction between first-line or rescue therapy. To assess whether rituximab as first-line therapy in NMO could efficiently control the occurrence of relapses. A retrospective analysis of NMO patients from NOMADMUS network found 32 patients receiving rituximab as first-line therapy. Main measures were number of relapse-free patients, changes in the annualized relapse rate (ARR), and changes in the EDSS. Tolerance was reported. At baseline, NMO patients were 45 ± 12.1 years old, with a sex ratio of 5.4, and 87.5 % of them had AQP4 antibodies. The median disease duration was 6.5 months (1-410), the mean EDSS was 5.8 ± 2.4 and the mean ARR was 3.8 ± 4.3. After rituximab with a mean follow-up of 28.7 ± 21 months, twenty-seven patients (84.3 %) were relapse free. Patients presented a 97 % decrease of ARR (p = 0.00001). EDSS decreased significantly to 3.9 ± 2.6 (p = 0.01). No relevant side effect was noted. New retrospective data are presented on RTX use in NMOSD. When used as first-line therapy RTX is highly effective and well tolerated. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Spain | 1 | 33% |
Unknown | 2 | 67% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
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Members of the public | 2 | 67% |
Scientists | 1 | 33% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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Germany | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 64 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Other | 8 | 12% |
Student > Master | 8 | 12% |
Researcher | 7 | 11% |
Student > Bachelor | 7 | 11% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 9% |
Other | 11 | 17% |
Unknown | 18 | 28% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
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Medicine and Dentistry | 27 | 42% |
Neuroscience | 7 | 11% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 4 | 6% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 3 | 5% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 2 | 3% |
Other | 4 | 6% |
Unknown | 18 | 28% |