Rituximab as Rescue Therapy for Aggressive Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, debilitating disease. Almost one in ten patients with MS has a history of disease onset during childhood. Although numerous therapeutic options exist for adult MS, the available treatments for pediatric patients are still limited. One of the emerging therapies is rit...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Pediatrics |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/8731613 |
| Summary: | Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, debilitating disease. Almost one in ten patients with MS has a history of disease onset during childhood. Although numerous therapeutic options exist for adult MS, the available treatments for pediatric patients are still limited. One of the emerging therapies is rituximab, a monoclonal anti-CD20 chimeric antibody that can deplete the CD20+ lymphocyte populations. A 12-year-old boy presented with ataxia, paresthesias, and headache while his brain MRI showed numerous T2 contrast-enhancing lesions. Gamma globulin, steroids, and cyclophosphamide failed to intercept his disease, and he progressed to a rapid clinical and radiological deterioration. Treatment with rituximab reversed the disease course in a dramatic fashion, leading to complete remission. |
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| ISSN: | 2090-6803 2090-6811 |