Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42730789›Full record

SynthesisNeurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology2026

Maternal disease control and pregnancy outcomes with anti-CD20 therapy versus natalizumab in multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

Abdulaziz Altamimi, Bashayr Arif Almutairi, Mohammed Essam Shaybah, Leen Essam Almahmoud, Abdullah Al Mazyad, Ahmed Sami Afash, Nawaf Abdulrahman Obaid Alharbi, Nura Waleed Ghibban, Ruwaym Jaber Mohammed Alharbi, Mohammed Yousef Almohaimeed and 3 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
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In one paragraph

Synthesis in Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology, 2026. 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
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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

13 authors.

Abdulaziz AltamimiCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health and Sciences, Riyadh, 11481, Saudi Arabia. Tamimi9b@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-1715-0749
Bashayr Arif AlmutairiCollege of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health and Sciences, Riyadh, 11481, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Essam ShaybahCollege of Medicine, Umm-Alqura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Leen Essam AlmahmoudCollege of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah Al MazyadDepartment of Neuroscience, King Salman Ben Abdulaziz Medical City, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Ahmed Sami AfashCollege of Medicine, Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Nawaf Abdulrahman Obaid AlharbiCollege of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Nura Waleed GhibbanCollege of Medicine, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Ruwaym Jaber Mohammed AlharbiDepartment of Neurology, Security Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mohammed Yousef AlmohaimeedCollege of Medicine, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia.
Abdulrahman Hussain GhazwaniDepartment of Internal Medicine, King Salman Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Atif Eid AlrashidiKing Khalid Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Abdullah AltamimiPediatric Emergency, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundManagement of multiple sclerosis (MS) during pregnancy requires balancing maternal disease control with fetal safety. Among high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies, anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies and natalizumab are commonly used in women with active disease, yet their comparative effectiveness and safety during pregnancy remain incompletely defined. This systematic review evaluated maternal disease activity and pregnancy-related outcomes associated with anti-CD20 exposure compared with natalizumab in pregnant women with MS.

methodsPubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception through February 2026. Eligible studies included pregnant women with MS exposed to anti-CD20 before or during pregnancy and reporting maternal disease activity compared to natalizumab.

resultsSeven studies were included, comprising six observational cohort studies and one pharmacovigilance disproportionality analysis. Across studies, anti-CD20 exposure was consistently associated with lower relapse activity than natalizumab, particularly in the postpartum period. Anti-CD20 strategies were also associated with markedly lower postpartum MRI activity and more favorable disability-related outcomes where reported. Meta-analysis of three studies demonstrated a significant reduction in postpartum MRI activity with anti-CD20 therapy compared with natalizumab (RR 0.06, 95% CI 0.02-0.24; I² = 0%). No clear increase in major congenital anomalies was identified, although some data suggested higher odds of small for gestational age and maternal antibiotic use with anti-CD20 exposure.

conclusionsAnti-CD20 therapy was associated with lower maternal disease activity than natalizumab during pregnancy, especially for relapse prevention and postpartum MRI suppression. However, evidence regarding fetal and neonatal safety remains limited, warranting cautious individualized treatment decisions and further comparative research.

Indexed as

Antigens, CD20Immunologic FactorsMultiple SclerosisNatalizumabPregnancy ComplicationsPregnancy OutcomeRituximabFemaleHumansPregnancyAntigens, CD20Immunologic FactorsNatalizumabRituximabAnti-CD20Meta-analysisMultiple sclerosisNatalizumabPregnancySystematic review

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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.