Rituximab in a childhood-onset idiopathic refractory chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy

Adele D'Amico1, Michela Catteruccia, Fabrizio De Benedetti

  • 1Unit of Neuromuscular and Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Neurosciences, IRCCS Bambino Gesù Pediatric Children's Hospital, P.zza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy. adeledamico@hotmail.com

Childhood-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are generally responsive to conventional immunosuppressant treatments. However about 20% of patients may be refractory to several treatments and the disease has poor outcome. Rituximab is becoming a promising treatment in selected adult cases of severe CIDPs. We report the effectiveness of Rituximab in a refractory childhood-onset CIDP and we suggest this treatment as an effective choice in unresponsive childhood CIDP.

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