Abstract
Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody (rituximab) is effectively used in the treatment of B-cell lymphomas. Recent reports in the literature suggest that antibody associated autoimmune disorders may respond to rituximab. We therefore treated nine patients with anti-Hu or anti-Yo associated paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) with a maximum of four monthly IV infusions of rituximab (375mg/m2). In this uncontrolled, unblinded trial of rituximab, three patients improved ≥1 point on the Rankin Scale (RS). One patient with limbic encephalitis improved dramatically (RS from 5 to 1). Further studies of rituximab in autoantibody associated PNS are warranted.
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Shams’ili, S., de Beukelaar, J., Gratama, J.W. et al. An uncontrolled trial of rituximab for antibody associated paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. J Neurol 253, 16–20 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-005-0882-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-005-0882-0