Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39136518›Full record

SynthesisCurrent rheumatology reviews2025

Rituximab Therapy for Adult Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Neurological and/or Psychiatric Presentations: A PRISMACompliant Meta-Analysis.

Mehran Asad Ayoubi, Maryam Moghaddassi, Mehdi Aloosh

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current rheumatology reviews, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Mehran Asad AyoubiAlumni Network, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-1238-5505
Maryam MoghaddassiRheumatology Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mehdi AlooshDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-6763-1067

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRituximab (RTX) is used off-label for refractory cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with extrarenal activity, including neurological and/or psychiatric (N/P) presentations. However, evidence from randomized controlled trials is limited.

objectiveThis study aimed to conduct a pooled analysis of the effectiveness and safety of RTX therapy for adult refractory SLE with N/P manifestations.

methodsElectronic searches in PubMed, Epistemonikos, and ICTRP databases and statistical analysis were conducted in May 2023.

resultsElectronic searches identified 20 studies (25 reports). A total of 59 patients (53 females; 90%) were included, with a mean age of 33.5±10.6 years and a median disease duration of 3.5 years (range, 0.08 to 25.0) who were followed up post-RTX therapy for a median time of 12 months (range, 3.0 to 46.2). The rate of clinical response (partial or major) was 90% (95% CI, 83 to 96) (n = 57 patients). A third of responders relapsed after a median time of 9.5 months (range, 3.0 to 33.0). Pooled pre-RTX/post-RTX scores for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) (n = 13) were 19±15/7±5 and for neurological British Isles Lupus Assessment Group (BILAG) (n = 29) were A/D (13), A/C (5), B/D (7), B/C (2), and A/A (2). Patients without mood disorder had a higher chance of clinical response (relative risk (RR) 1.4 (1.03 to 1.48)). Patients who benefited the most from RTX therapy were those with psychosis (a higher chance of major clinical response; RR 1.9 (1.02 to 2.34)), without acute confusional state (a lower chance of relapse; RR 0.08 (0.006 to 0.791)), and with disease duration <3 years (a lower chance of relapse; RR 0.18 (0.014 to 0.992)). Infection rate during treatment was 33% (7/21).

conclusionRTX therapy had good effectiveness. The pooled evidence for safety outcomes was limited and of low certainty.

Indexed as

Antirheumatic AgentsLupus Erythematosus, SystemicMental DisordersNervous System DiseasesRituximabAdultFemaleHumansMaleTreatment OutcomeAntirheumatic AgentsRituximabadult refractorymetaanalysis monoclonal antibody.neurologicalpsychiatric presentationRituximab therapysystemic lupus erythematosus

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.