Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32350672›Full record

ArticleNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2020

Experience with rituximab therapy in a real-life sample of multiple sclerosis patients.

Angelo Bellinvia, Elio Prestipino, Emilio Portaccio, Lorenzo Razzolini, Mattia Fonderico, Roberto Fratangelo, Laura Tudisco, Luisa Pastò, Maria P Amato

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In one paragraph

Article in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Rituximab for people with multiple sclerosis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Rituximab for people with multiple sclerosis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2021
    Pooled it
  3. Observational
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
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

9 authors.

Angelo BellinviaDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Elio PrestipinoDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Emilio PortaccioSOC Neurologia, AUSL Toscana Centro, San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Lorenzo RazzoliniDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Mattia FondericoDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Roberto FratangeloDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Laura TudiscoDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Luisa PastòSOD Neurological Rehabilitation, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Maria P AmatoDepartment NEUROFARBA, Section Neurosciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. mariapia.amato@unifi.it.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, neuroinflammatory, and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. B cells have recently emerged as a promising target to significantly reduce inflammatory disease activity in MS, with successful trial studies using antiCD20 therapies. However, real-life data about safety and efficacy are limited.

objectivesTo analyze the clinical and radiological inflammatory activity, adherence to therapy, and safety of rituximab (RTX) in an MS patients' sample, treated from 2015 to 2018 in our center PATIENTS AND

methodsRetrospective study on prospectively collected data about relapses, disability progression, and radiological activity (new T2 lesions and Gd-enhancing lesions) were recorded and used to assess no evidence of disease activity (NEDA) at 12 months. RTX-related adverse events were recorded. RTX was administered intravenously at a dosage of 1000 mg twice 2 weeks apart, then every 6 months.

resultsSixty-nine patients were included. Fifty-three (76.8%) had a relapsing-remitting, two a primary progressive course, and 14 a secondary progressive course. The mean follow-up period was 16 ± 9.7 months. Thirty-five (50.7%) patients had relapses in the year prior to RTX therapy, with a mean annualized relapse rate of 0.75, significantly reduced to 0.36 at 12 months (p < 0.001). Among the 36 patients included in the study who had an MRI available at 12 months, MRI activity was reduced from 88% (n = 32) to 8.3% (n = 3) at follow-up (p < 0.001). Twelve (17.4%) patients suspended RTX during the study.

conclusionsOur real-life experience confirms that off-label therapy with RTX may represent a valid, cost-effective therapeutic option in MS.

Indexed as

Multiple SclerosisMultiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-RemittingNeurodegenerative DiseasesHumansImmunologic FactorsNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalRetrospective StudiesRituximabImmunologic FactorsRituximabAntiCD20 therapiesMonoclonal antibodiesMultiple sclerosisReal-life experienceRituximab

Identifiers

PMID32350672

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.