Observational studyCNS drugs2025
Long-Term Effectiveness and Safety of Rituximab in Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A 5-Year Observational Study.
Observational study in CNS drugs, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
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
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Safety and efficacy of ravulizumab in patients with NMOSD previously treated with rituximab: A post hoc analysis of the CHAMPION-NMOSD trial.Multiple sclerosis (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) · 2026Trial
- Patient-reported outcomes in Chinese patients with AQP4-IgG-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder on inebilizumab therapy: a cross-sectional study.BMC neurology · 2026Observational
- Optimizing Rituximab Maintenance Therapy: Outcomes of Extended-Interval Dosing in Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.Journal of clinical medicine research · 2026Article
- Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab Versus Inebilizumab in Patients With Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder: A Dual-Center, Real-World Cohort Study.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Case Report: Unplanned pregnancy during treatment with inebilizumab in patients with AQP4-IgG-seropositive NMOSD: report of two cases.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
- Subsequent treatment strategies following rituximab-resistance in AQP4-IgG+ neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: a case series.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
34 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundNeuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a severely disabling autoimmune disease that predominantly impacts the optic nerves and spinal cord. It is often linked to immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies targeting the aquaporin-4 water channel (AQP4-IgG). Rituximab, which depletes CD20-positive B cells, is effective in reducing the frequency of NMOSD relapses. The objective of this retrospective, 5-year observational study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of rituximab in patients with AQP4-IgG-positive NMOSD.
methodsWe conducted a multicenter, retrospective study using prospectively collected data from 23 multiple sclerosis (MS) and NMOSD centers (22 in Italy, 1 in Switzerland). The study cohort included patients with AQP4-IgG-positive NMOSD who had completed rituximab induction therapy, with data collected up to May 2024. Two maintenance strategies were used-fixed 6-monthly infusions or reinfusions guided by flow cytometry-on the basis of CD19
resultsA total of 138 patients were analyzed. ARR significantly decreased from 1.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-1.75) before rituximab to 0.15 (95% CI 0.12-0.19) over the 5-year follow-up. Approximately 33% of patients experienced at least one relapse during treatment, after a median time of 5.21 months. Higher pre-rituximab relapse rates were associated with shorter TTFR. Subtle increases of 0.5-1 points in EDSS between relapses were observed in one third of patients. Mild infections were common, and 21% of patients experienced infusion-related reactions. In addition, six patients developed malignancies.
conclusionsOver 5 years, rituximab consistently reduced the incidence of relapses in patients with NMOSD, though 33% of them still experienced a relapse during this period, generally within the first 6 months of treatment. No unexpected adverse events were identified. While safety monitoring remains crucial, further studies are needed to better understand rituximab's impact on NMOSD management.
Indexed as
Identifiers
40442445What OpenQuestion holds
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.