RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Extending rituximab dosing intervals in patients with MS during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond?
JF Neurology - Neuroimmunology Neuroinflammation
JO Neurol Neuroimmunol Neuroinflamm
FD Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
SP e825
DO 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000825
VO 7
IS 5
A1 Maarouf, Adil
A1 Rico, Audrey
A1 Boutiere, Clemence
A1 Perriguey, Marine
A1 Demortiere, Sarah
A1 Pelletier, Jean
A1 Audoin, Bertrand
A1 Under the aegis of OFSEP
YR 2020
UL http://nn.neurology.org/content/7/5/e825.abstract
AB Objective To evaluate disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) receiving rituximab with an extended dosing interval.Methods In the context of COVID-19 pandemic, this was an interim analysis of an ongoing prospective observational study of patients who were stable on rituximab for at least 6 months and who had a planned extended dosing interval of 24 months. Only data for patients with active RRMS before rituximab were analyzed.Results Among 177 patients receiving rituximab, 33 had RRMS and MRI activity before rituximab and at least 8 months of follow-up after the last infusion. The mean (SD) age was 40 (14) years, 25 were females, the mean disease duration was 10 (6.8) years, the mean annual relapse rate (ARR) before rituximab was 1.7 (1.3), and the median Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score before rituximab was 4.5 (1–7). Before extended dosing, when rituximab was infused every 6 months, the mean (SD) ARR decreased to 0.04 (0.1) (p < 0.0001) and the EDSS score to 4 (0–7) (p = 0.04). At the time of this analysis, the median follow-up since the last infusion was 11 (8–31) months. No patient showed relapse or disability progression. In total, 30 patients had at least 1 MRI performed since the last infusion (median time between the last MRI and the last infusion 10 [8–31] months). No MRI showed activity. The CD19+ cell proportion was >1% for 10 of 25 patients at the last count (median time 8 [6–25] months).Conclusions An extended dosing interval for rituximab for patients with stable MS during the COVID-19 pandemic may be associated with a low risk of disease activity.ARR=annual relapse rate; CEL=contrast-enhancing lesion; EDSS=Expanded Disability Status Scale; nT2L=new T2 lesion; OFSEP=Observatoire Français de la Sclérose en Plaques; RRMS=relapsing-remitting MS