Study reveals risks of relapses and severe infections in patients with NMOSD treated with rituximab

Use of rituximab-treated in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) may be associated with considerable risks in both relapses and severe infectious events, according to a retrospective cohort study.

The study found that over a mean treatment time of 4.0 years, 50% of patients experienced relapses, with 8 myelin-oligodendrocyte-protein IgG+ (MOG+) patients having a 3 times higher risk compared to 24 aquaporin-4 IgG+ (AQP4+) patients. In addition, 40% of patients experienced severe infectious events, and AQP4+ patients were found to have an increased risk compared to MOG+ patients.

The study emphasizes the importance of close clinical vigilance for disease activity and infections during rituximab treatment in NMOSD patients, highlighting the need for further research and personalized approaches to optimize therapeutic management.

Reference
Carlsson O, Jonsson DI, Brundin L, et al. Relapses and Serious Infections in Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder Treated with Rituximab: A Swedish Single-Center Study. J Clin Med. 2024;13(2):355. doi: 10.3390/jcm13020355. PMID: 38256489.