Rituximab for Treatment of Pediatric CNS Inflammatory Disorders

A survey from an international network of pediatric centers highlights benefit and safety considerations of rituximab for neuroinflammatory indications.

Rituximab is a chimeric monoclonal CD20 antibody that results in B-cell depletion. To examine the off-label use of rituximab for numerous pediatric neuroinflammatory conditions, 15 pediatric centers collated standardized data of their clinical experience, focusing primarily on indication, safety, and disease outcome (functional status).

Of 144 children (103 female) treated with Rituximab for more than 13 different neuroimmunological indications, the four most common conditions treated were NMDAR encephalitis (27%), opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia syndrome (OMAS; 22%), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorders (14%), and neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE; 13%). Median age at rituximab administration was 9.9 years (range, 1.…

Reviewing Author

Jeffrey M. Gelfand, MD, MAS

Disclosures

12/1/14I recently attended a trial investigator meeting as a sub-investigator for a clinical trial sponsored by Medimmune.

Jeffrey M. Gelfand, MD, MAS

Disclosures

12/1/14I recently attended a trial investigator meeting as a sub-investigator for a clinical trial sponsored by Medimmune.

Rituximab for Treatment of Pediatric CNS Inflammatory Disorders

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Reviewing Author