title: Rituximab in multiple sclerosis: A retrospective observational study on safety and efficacy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the safety and efficacy of rituximab in multiple sclerosis (MS).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective uncontrolled observational multicenter study, off-label rituximab-treated patients with MS were identified through the Swedish MS register. Outcome data were collected from the MS register and medical charts. Adverse events (AEs) grades 2-5 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 822 rituximab-treated patients with MS were identified: 557 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), 198 secondary progressive MS (SPMS), and 67 primary progressive MS (PPMS). At baseline, 26.2% had contrast-enhancing lesions (CELs). Patients were treated with 500 or 1,000 mg rituximab IV every 6-12 months, during a mean 21.8 (SD 14.3) months. During treatment, the annualized relapse rates were 0.044 (RRMS), 0.038 (SPMS), and 0.015 (PPMS), and 4.6% of patients displayed CELs. Median Expanded Disability Status Scale remained unchanged in RRMS (p = 0.42) and increased by 0.5 and 1.0 in SPMS and PPMS, respectively (p = 0.10 and 0.25). Infusion-related AEs occurred during 7.8% of infusions and most were mild. A total of 89 AEs grades ≥2 (of which 76 infections) were recorded in 72 patients. No case of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the largest cohort of patients with MS treated with rituximab reported so far. The safety, clinical, and MRI findings in this heterogeneous real-world cohort treated with different doses of rituximab were similar to those reported in previous randomized controlled trials on B-cell depletion therapy in MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with MS, rituximab is safe and effective.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. jonatan.salzer@umu.se.
authors.forename: Jonatan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salzer
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Rasmus
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Svenningsson
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alping
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Lenka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Novakova
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Björck
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Protik
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Islam-Jakobsson
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Clas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Malmeström
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Mattias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vågberg
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sundström
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lycke
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piehl
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Neuroscience (J.S., R.S., P.I.-J., M.V., P.S., A.S.), Umeå University; Departments of Clinical Neuroscience (R.S., P.A., A.B., K.F., F.P.) and Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital (A.S.), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; and Department of Clinical Neuroscience (L.N., C.M., M.A., J.L.), Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Svenningsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020528:Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000069283:Rituximab / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D000069283:Rituximab