Observational studyJournal of neurology2022
Effectiveness of rituximab vs. ocrelizumab for the treatment of primary progressive multiple sclerosis: a real-world observational study.
Observational study in Journal of neurology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparative efficacy and safety of ocrelizumab in relapsing-remitting and primary progressive multiple sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC neurology · 2025Pooled it
- Rituximab for people with multiple sclerosis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025Pooled it
- Real-world evaluation of ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis: A systematic review.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2023Pooled it
- The Efficacy and Safety of Anti-CD20 Antibody Treatments in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.CNS drugs · 2022Pooled it
- Comparative effectiveness and safety of rituximab versus ocrelizumab in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a real-world experience from Iran.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2026Article
- Use of blood-based neurofilament light chain as an endpoint in clinical trials of neurodegenerative conditions: a scoping review.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Review
- Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Rituximab Versus Ocrelizumab in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Finnish Population-Based Matched Cohort Study.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Real-world experience with rituximab for multiple sclerosis treatment in a Brazilian tertiary center.Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria · 2026Observational
- Comparative Effect of Standard Versus Extended Interval Dosing of Rituximab or Ocrelizumab in Multiple Sclerosis.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2025Article
- Efficacy of ocrelizumab versus rituximab in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.Acta neurologica Belgica · 2025Article
- Real-World Study of Serum Neurofilament Light Chain Levels in Ocrelizumab-Treated People with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of personalized medicine · 2024Article
- B cell depletion attenuates CD27 signaling of T helper cells in multiple sclerosis.Cell reports. Medicine · 2024Article
- Nanoformulated Recombinant Human Myelin Basic Protein and Rituximab Modulate Neuronal Perturbations in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Mice.International journal of nanomedicine · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
18 authors at 9 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionOcrelizumab, an antiCD-20 antibody, is the only drug approved to treat patients with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (pwPPMS). Not all candidates receive this treatment due to prescription limitations. Rituximab, another antiCD-20 antibody, has been used off-label in pwPPMS before and after ocrelizumab approval. However, studies comparing effectiveness of both drugs are lacking.
objectiveTo evaluate effectiveness of rituximab and ocrelizumab in pwPPMS under real-life conditions.
methodsWe conducted a multicentric observational study of pwPPMS that started ocrelizumab or rituximab according to clinical practice, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Data was collected prospectively and retrospectively. Primary outcome was time to confirmed disability progression at 3 months (CDW). Secondary outcome was serum neurofilament light chain levels (sNFL) at the end of follow-up.
results95 out 111 pwPPMS fulfilled inclusion criteria and follow-up data availability: 49 (51.6%) received rituximab and 46 (48.4%) ocrelizumab. Rituximab-treated patients had significantly higher baseline EDSS, disease duration and history of previous disease-modifying treatment (DMT) than ocrelizumab-treated patients. After a mean follow-up of 18.3 months (SD 5.9), 26 patients experienced CDW (21.4%); 15 (30.6%) in the rituximab group; and 11 (23.9%) in the ocrelizumab group. Survival analysis revealed no differences in time to CDW. sNFL were measured in 60 patients and no differences between groups were found.
interpretationWe provide real-world evidence of effectiveness of ocrelizumab and rituximab in pwPPMS. No differences in time to CDW were found between treatments. However, this study cannot establish equivalence of treatments and warrant clinical trial to confirm our findings.
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Registered trials
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.