title: Rituximab as a monotherapy or in combination therapy for the treatment of non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the efficacy of rituximab as a monotherapy or in combination therapy for the treatment of patients with non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve eyes of six patients with non-paraneoplastic autoimmune retinopathy who were treated with rituximab and had at least 6 months of follow-up were included. Demographic data, clinical data, visual field parameters, electroretinography parameters, and anti-retinal and anti-optic nerve autoantibody bands were collected from the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution database between September 2010 and January 2015. Changes in visual acuity, visual field parameters, electroretinography parameters, and anti-retinal and anti-optic nerve autoantibody bands from the initial visit to the most recent visit were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From the initial visit to the last visit, visual acuity was stable in eight (66.7%) eyes. Visual field was stable in six (50%) eyes and improved in two (16.7%) eyes. Electroretinography was stable or improved in eight (66.7%) eyes. The average number of anti-retinal and anti-optic nerve antibody bands was reduced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stabilization and/or improvement of visual acuity, visual field parameters, and electroretinography parameters were observed in a high number of patients (75%) on rituximab, as a monotherapy (one patient) or in combination therapy.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maleki
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham.
authors.forename: Neerav
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lamba
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham.
authors.forename: Stacey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution; Ocular Immunology and Uveitis Foundation, Waltham; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: C Stephen
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Foster
keywords: CD20; HLA-A29; HLA-B27; birdshot retinochoroidopathy; bortezomib; cyclophosphamide; immunomodulatory therapy; systemic lupus erythematosus