Rituximab used successfully in the treatment of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
We report the case of a young woman with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, without tumor, who was successfully treated with rituximab. Because conventional immunotherapy, including corticosteroids, immunoglobulin (IVIg), and plasma exchange showed little improvement in our patient, we introduced another treatment using rituximab. A week after the first administration of rituximab, her symptoms improved gradually and significantly. This case provides in vivo evidence that rituximab is an effective agent for treating anti-NMDAR encephalitis, even in those cases where conventional immunotherapies have been ineffective. Rituximab should be regarded as a beneficial therapeutic agent for this disease.
Department of Neurology, Saitama Red Cross Hospital, Japan. riker715@hotmail.com
Ryotaro
R
Ikeguchi
Koichi
K
Shibuya
Shigeo
S
Akiyama
Shuji
S
Hino
Hiromasa
H
Kubo
Takahiro
T
Takeda
Noriyuki
N
Shibata
Kenji
K
Yamamoto
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D060426:Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D000069283:Rituximab; D055815:Young Adult
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069283:Rituximab