Abstract
Current treatments for anti-GM1 ganglioside or antimyelin-associated glycoprotein (anti-MAG) antibody-associated polyneuropathies are toxic or very costly. In this preliminary study the authors treated five patients with neuropathy and immunoglobulin M antibodies to GM1 ganglioside or MAG by depleting B cells using Rituximab-a monoclonal antibody directed against the B-cell surface membrane marker CD20. Within 3 to 6 months after treatment, all five patients had improved function, significantly increased quantitative strength measurements, and reduced titers of serum autoantibodies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1701-1704 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Neurology |
| Volume | 52 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 12 1999 |