Efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with multiple sclerosis: An observational study at a tertiary center in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

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.

Saudi consensus recommendations on the management of multiple sclerosis: MS management in children and adolescents.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) most commonly presents in young adults, although 3-5% of patients develop MS prior to the age of 18 years. The new and comprehensive consensus for the management of MS in Saudi Arabia includes recommendations for the management of MS and other CNS inflammatory demyelinating disorders in pediatric and adolescent patients. This article summarizes the key recommendations for the diagnosis and management of these disorders in young patients. Pediatric and adult populations with MS differ in their presentation and clinical course. Careful differential diagnosis is important to exclude alternative diagnoses such as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) or neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD). The diagnosis of MS in a pediatric/adolescent patient is based on the 2017 McDonald diagnostic criteria, as in adults, once the possibility of ADEM or NMOSD has been ruled out. Few data are available from randomized trials to support the use of a specific disease-modifying therapy (DMT) in this population. Interferons and glatiramer acetate are preferred initial choices for DMTs based on observational evidence, with the requirement of a switch to a more effective DMT if breakthrough MS activity occurs.