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Long-term B-lymphocyte depletion with rituximab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis
Olaf Stüve1, Verena I Leussink, Ruth Fröhlich
1Division of Neurology, Medicine Service, Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
Objective:
To describe 2 patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) receiving long-term treatment with the monoclonal antibody rituximab. The clinical and paraclinical efficacy of rituximab was demonstrated recently in a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with RRMS.
Design:
Case series.
Setting:
Tertiary care university medical center.
Patients:
Two young patients with highly active RRMS in whom standard therapy had failed before receiving rituximab for up to 48 months.
Main Outcome Measures:
Relapse rate, clinical disability, and results of magnetic resonance imaging.
Results:
Both patients tolerated rituximab treatment well and have been clinically stable throughout the study period.
Conclusion:
Long-term therapy with rituximab appears safe and effective in some patients with RRMS. Our observation should be confirmed in controlled long-term trials.