RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Rituximab in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: a report of 13 cases and review of the literature
JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 306
OP 308
DO 10.1136/jnnp.2009.188912
VO 82
IS 3
A1 L Benedetti
A1 C Briani
A1 D Franciotta
A1 R Fazio
A1 I Paolasso
A1 C Comi
A1 M Luigetti
A1 M Sabatelli
A1 F Giannini
A1 G L Mancardi
A1 A Schenone
A1 E Nobile-Orazio
A1 D Cocito
YR 2011
UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/82/3/306.abstract
AB Background A few case reports have shown controversial results of rituximab efficacy in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).Objective To analyse the efficacy of rituximab in a large CIDP cohort.Methods A retrospective, observational and multicentre study on the use of rituximab in CIDP. 13 Italian CIDP patients were treated with rituximab after the partial or complete lack of efficacy of conventional therapies. Eight patients had co-occurring haematological diseases. Patients who improved by at least two points in standard clinical scales, or who reduced or discontinued the pre-rituximab therapies, were considered as responders.Results Nine patients (seven with haematological diseases) responded to rituximab: six of them, who were non-responders to conventional therapies, improved clinically, and the other three maintained the improvement that they usually achieved with intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange. Significantly associated with shorter disease duration, rituximab responses started after a median period of 2.0 months (range, 1–6) and lasted for a median period of 1 year (range, 1–5).Conclusions Rituximab seems to be a promising therapeutic choice when it targets both CIDP and co-occurring haematological diseases. Timely post-onset administration of rituximab seems to be associated with better responses.