Effectiveness and safety of glucocorticoids bridging rituximab in neuromyelitis spectrum disorder

Abstract

Background

Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody rituximab have been widely used to prevent relapses in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), but data on early use of oral prednisone overlapping with rituximab for effective reduction of relapses are limited. In this study, we evaluated the long-term efficacy of oral prednisone bridging rituximab therapy in NMOSD patients with anti-aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-IgG).

Methods

We collected the medications and disease activities in patients with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD patients in this retrospective study. Time to first relapse was evaluated after starting stable doses of prednisone and/or initiating rituximab. We compared the efficacy and safety of different doses of prednisone with sequential rituximab treatment in NMOSD.

Results

211 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the study, including 91 patients who were treated with prednisone monotherapy and 120 patients who were treated with prednisone bridging rituximab. In total, 59.3% (54/91) of patients in the prednisone monotherapy group experienced new relapses. The proportions of patients with relapses were different in the subgroups of prednisone monotherapy, with 100% (23/23) in the group of dose ≤ 5mg/d, 64.1% (25/39) in the group of doses 7.5–10mg/d, and 20.7% (6/29) in the group of dose ≥ 12.5mg/d. 24.2% (29/120) of patients in the prednisone bridging rituximab group experienced relapses. Bridging rituximab regimen significantly reduced the risk of relapses compared to prednisone monotherapy (hazard ratio: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.15–0.38, p < 0.0001). Patients with prolonged usage of prednisone tapering (6–12 months) had a significant reduction in the relapse risk compared to those with prednisone tapering 3–6 months (hazard ratio: 0.3119, 95% CI: 0.09125–1.066, p = 0.0264). The most common adverse events were hyperlipidemia in the prednisone monotherapy group (17.6%) and infections in the prednisone bridging rituximab group (25.8%).

Conclusions

Prednisone bridging rituximab therapy is associated with the reduced relapse risk in patients with AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD, especially when the bridging time is over 6 months.