Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32348222›Full record

SynthesisCurrent neuropharmacology2021

Anti-IL-6 Therapies for Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review of Safety and Efficacy.

Itay Lotan, Richard McGowan, Michael Levy

Open access · greenAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current neuropharmacology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
18citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
3.2field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

18 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Observational
  5. Review
  6. Emerging Role of Targeted Monoclonal Antibodies in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders.BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and gene therapy · 2025
    Review
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Review
  12. Adverse Events in NMOSD Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022
    Review
  13. Article
  14. Review
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Itay LotanNYU Langone Health, Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, New York, United States.
Richard McGowanNYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, United States.
Michael LevyDivision of Neuroimmunology and Neuroinfectious Disease, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States.
Massachusetts General Hospital · USMultiple Sclerosis Center Of Northeastern New York · USNew York University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that causes recurrent attacks of optic neuritis, myelitis, and brainstem symptoms, resulting in severe neurological disability. Preventive treatment with immunosuppressive agents reduces relapse rate and improves long-term prognosis. In recent years, the potential therapeutical effect of new agents has been investigated. Two of these, the anti-interleukin 6 (IL-6) agents tocilizumab and satralizumab, have been studied in active NMOSD.

objectiveTo systematically review the current data regarding the efficacy and safety of anti-IL-6 agents in NMOSD.

resultsFourteen case reports and 5 case series of intravenous tocilizumab have shown beneficial clinical and paraclinical effects compared to commonly used therapies, and another case series of subcutaneous tocilizumab has shown it is as effective as the IV formulation. A phase 2 comparative trial has shown tocilizumab IV to be more effective than azathioprine for relapse prevention. A phase 3 trial of subcutaneous satralizumab versus placebo, has shown a lower risk of relapse in the sartralizumab-treated group, both as add-on therapy to stable immunosuppressant and as monotherapy. Tocilizumab also reduced pain severity in two trials and fatigue scores in one trial, but satralizumab did not significantly improve pain and fatigue. Adverse events with both agents were relatively mild and comparable to placebo and azathioprine.

conclusionThe anti-Il-6 agents tocilizumab and satralizumab show promising results in active NMOSD. Further randomized, larger-scale trials are needed to better define the role of these agents in the growing arsenal of NMOSD treatments.

Indexed as

Neuromyelitis OpticaAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedClinical Trials, Phase III as TopicHumansImmunosuppressive AgentsImmunotherapyInterleukin-6Interleukin-6 InhibitorsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedIL6 protein, humanImmunosuppressive AgentsInterleukin-6Interleukin-6 Inhibitorssatralizumabtocilizumabanti-IL-6 receptor; tocilizumabefficacyinterleukin-6MOG-antibody diseaseNMOSDsafetysatralizumabtreatment

Identifiers

PMID32348222
PMCPMC8033980
OpenAlexW3017643982

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.