Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38794973›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of neurology2024

Hypogammaglobulinaemia during rituximab treatment in multiple sclerosis: A Swedish cohort study.

Susanna Hallberg, Björn Evertsson, Ellen Lillvall, Malin Boremalm, Pierre de Flon, Yunzhang Wang, Jonatan Salzer, Jan Lycke, Katharina Fink, Thomas Frisell and 2 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in European journal of neurology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Risk Factors for Secondary Immunodeficiency in the Aged.The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Observational
  8. Prevalence of hypogammaglobulinemia after non-anti-CD20 therapies and impact of switching to rituximab/ocrelizumab in multiple sclerosis.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2025
    Article
  9. Extended-interval dosing of rituximab/ocrelizumab is associated with a reduced decrease in IgG levels in multiple sclerosis.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2025
    Article
  10. 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

12 authors.

Susanna HallbergDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Sjukhus, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-7912-3462
Björn EvertssonDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-8799-9619
Ellen LillvallDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Malin BoremalmDepartment of Clinical Science, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-0276-252X
Pierre de FlonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Neurosciences, Unit of Neurology, Östersund, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
Yunzhang WangDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Sjukhus, Stockholm, Sweden.
Jonatan SalzerDepartment of Clinical Science, Neurosciences, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-9205-0771
Jan LyckeDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-7891-8466
Katharina FinkDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-0030-0236
Thomas FrisellClinical Epidemiology Division, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-5735-9626
Faiez Al NimerDepartment of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Anders SvenningssonDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Danderyds Sjukhus, Stockholm, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-0663-2220

Funding

NeuroförbundetStockholm läns landsting B5069Stockholm läns landsting LS 2018-1255
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

background and purposeMechanisms behind hypogammaglobulinaemia during rituximab treatment are poorly understood.

methodsIn this register-based multi-centre retrospective cohort study of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in Sweden, 2745 patients from six participating Swedish MS centres were identified via the Swedish MS registry and included between 14 March 2008 and 25 January 2021. The exposure was treatment with at least one dose of rituximab for MS or clinically isolated syndrome, including data on treatment duration and doses. The degree of yearly decrease in immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels was evaluated.

resultsThe mean decrease in IgG was 0.27 (95% confidence interval 0.17-0.36) g/L per year on rituximab treatment, slightly less in older patients, and without significant difference between sexes. IgG or IgM below the lower limit of normal (<6.7 or <0.27 g/L) was observed in 8.8% and 8.3% of patients, respectively, as nadir measurements. Six out of 2745 patients (0.2%) developed severe hypogammaglobulinaemia (IgG below 4.0 g/L) during the study period. Time on rituximab and accumulated dose were the main predictors for IgG decrease. Previous treatment with fingolimod and natalizumab, but not teriflunomide, dimethyl fumarate, interferons or glatiramer acetate, were significantly associated with lower baseline IgG levels by 0.80-1.03 g/L, compared with treatment-naïve patients. Switching from dimethyl fumarate or interferons was associated with an additional IgG decline of 0.14-0.19 g/L per year, compared to untreated.

conclusionsAccumulated dose and time on rituximab treatment are associated with a modest but significant decline in immunoglobulin levels. Previous MS therapies may influence additional IgG decline.

Indexed as

AgammaglobulinemiaImmunologic FactorsMultiple SclerosisRituximabAdultCohort StudiesFemaleHumansImmunoglobulin GMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesRetrospective StudiesSwedenImmunoglobulin GImmunologic FactorsRituximabdisease‐modifying therapyhypogammaglobulinaemiaIgG decreaseIgM decreaseimmunoglobulin decreasemultiple sclerosisreal‐world datarituximab therapy

Identifiers

PMID38794973
PMCPMC11236063

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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.