PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Yassir M. Almatrafi
AU  - Mohammed A. Babakkor
AU  - Muhammed Irfan
AU  - Ebaa T. Samkari
AU  - Waleed M. Alzahrani
AU  - Doaa K. Mohorjy
AU  - Sarmad Zahoor
AU  - Muhammad T. Farooq
AU  - Hafiz M. Sajid Jehangir
TI  - Efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with multiple sclerosis
AID  - 10.17712/nsj.2022.2.20210122
DP  - 2022 Apr 01
TA  - Neurosciences Journal
PG  - 65--70
VI  - 27
IP  - 2
4099  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/27/2/65.short
4100  - http://nsj.org.sa/content/27/2/65.full
SO  - Neurosciences (Riyadh)2022 Apr 01; 27
AB  - Objectives: To assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab for multiple sclerosis (MS) treatment in terms of reduction in clinical relapses, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) activity, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score and adverse events.Methods: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdullah Medical City, from January 2017 to August 2021, involving patients with MS given rituximab, with 1-year follow-up. Clinical parameters were noted pre- and post-treatment to determine efficacy; adverse events were noted to analyze safety. A paired samples t-test was used to compare responses pre- and post-treatment. A p-value<0.05 was considered significant.Results: Among 31 patients, 6 (19.4%) had progressive MS, and 25 (80.6%) had relapsing-remitting MS (mean disease duration=8.12±5.65 years). The annual relapse rate reduced from 1.67±0.97 to 0.06±0.25 (p<0.001), the EDSS score from 3.16±2.14 to 2.80±2.28 (p=0.141) and the MRI activity score from 1.84±1.03 to 1.03±0.18 (p<0.001). Only one patient had enhancing lesion activity post-treatment. The commonest side effect was urinary tract infection (25.8%). Only 2 patients discontinued the drug.Conclusion: Rituximab is an efficient drug in reducing the annual relapse rate and MRI activity of patients with MS, with few tolerable side effects not leading to drug discontinuation or any lethal outcome.