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Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, or neuromyelitis optica(NMO), is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that must be distinguished from multiple sclerosis. Therapeutic approaches to relapse prevention in NMO include immunosuppressants and monoclonal antibodies. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 antigen expressed on the surface of pre-B, mature B-lymphocytes and a small subset of T-lymphocytes, has been widely used for the treatment of NMO. In this review, we aim to summarize global experience with rituximab in NMO. We identified 13 observational studies that involved a total of 209 NMO patients treated with rituximab. Majority of rituximab-treated patients evidenced stabilization or improvements in their disability scores compared to pre-treatment period and 66% of patients remained relapse-free during treatment period. Monitoring rituximab treatment response with CD19+ or CD27+ cell counts appears to improve treatment outcomes. We offer clinical pointers on rituximab use for NMO based on the literature and authors’ experience, and pose questions that would need to be addressed in future studies.
Therapeutic approaches to relapse prevention in NMO include immunosuppressants and monoclonal antibodies. Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 antigen expressed on the surface of pre-B, mature B-lymphocytes and a small subset of T-lymphocytes, has been widely used for the treatment of NMO. In this review, we aim to summarize global experience with rituximab in NMO. 13 observational studies that involved a total of 209 NMO patients treated with rituximab. Majority of rituximab-treated patients evidenced stabilization or improvements in their disability scores compared to pre-treatment period and 66% of patients with relapsed-free during treatment period. treatment response with CD19 + or CD27 + cell counts appears to improve treatment outcomes. We offer clinical pointers on rituximab use for NMO based on the literature and authors’ experience, and pose questions that would need to be addressed in future studies.