It was severe in more than half the cases (MGFA score greater than or equal to 3) and with anti-MuSK autoantibodies in 4.76% of cases. In this cohort :
- 49 patients received rituximab alone in two 1g infusions spaced 15 days apart, repeated according to B lymphocyte monitoring,
- 19 patients received rituximab combined with corticosteroids (0.5 mg/kg or more), their disease being initially more severe,
- the Osserman score was similar (no significant difference) in both groups of patients from the assessment carried out three months after the start of treatment, and remained so at 12 months.
Rituximab would therefore be just as effective on its own as in combination with corticosteroid therapy. It could therefore be part of a cortisone-sparing approach.
