Background and purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, ocrelizumab administration was frequently postponed because of a lack of safety information and to favour vaccination. The clinical implications of ocrelizumab administration delay in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were assessed. Methods: Relapsing (RMS) and primary progressive (PPMS) MS patients receiving ocrelizumab for at least 6 months at our centre were retrospectively classified, according to the possible occurrence of a delay (≥4 weeks) in treatment administration. Patients were categorized in the extended-interval dosing (EID) group in the presence of at least one delayed infusion; otherwise they were considered as part of the standard interval dosing (SID) cohort. MS history, magnetic resonance imaging examinations and B-cell counts were also retrospectively collected and analysed. Results: A total of 213 RMS and 61 PPMS patients were enrolled; 115 RMS and 29 PPMS patients had been treated according to the SID regimen, whilst 98 RMS and 32 PPMS patients were included in the EID cohort. Average follow-up after delay was 1.28 ± 0.7 years in the EID cohort. In RMS, comparing SID and EID patients, no differences were found considering the occurrence of clinical relapses (9.6% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.338), magnetic resonance imaging activity (9.8% vs. 14.1%, p = 0.374) or disability progression (11.3% vs. 18.4%, p = 0.103). Similar findings were observed in PPMS patients. In the pooled EID group, treatment delay correlated with CD19-positive relative (r = 0.530, p < 0.001) and absolute (r = 0.491, p < 0.001) cell counts, without implications on disease activity. Conclusions: Sporadic ocrelizumab administration delay granted sustained treatment efficacy in our cohort. Prospective data should be obtained to confirm these observations and set up systematic extended-interval regimens.

Ocrelizumab extended-interval dosing in multiple sclerosis during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a real-world experience / Guerrieri, Simone; Bucca, Chiara; Nozzolillo, Agostino; Genchi, Angela; Zanetta, Chiara; Cetta, Ilaria; Rugarli, Giulia; Gattuso, Irene; Azzimonti, Matteo; Rocca, Maria Assunta; SanRaf MS Study, Group; Preziosa, Paolo; Paolo, Moiola; Lucia, ; Filippi, Massimo. - In: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY. - ISSN 1351-5101. - 30:9(2023), pp. 2859-2864. [10.1111/ene.15891]

Ocrelizumab extended-interval dosing in multiple sclerosis during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a real-world experience

Guerrieri, Simone
Primo
;
Genchi, Angela;Cetta, Ilaria;Rugarli, Giulia;Gattuso, Irene;Azzimonti, Matteo;Rocca, Maria Assunta;Preziosa
Membro del Collaboration Group
;
Filippi, Massimo
Ultimo
2023-01-01

Abstract

Background and purpose: During the COVID-19 pandemic, ocrelizumab administration was frequently postponed because of a lack of safety information and to favour vaccination. The clinical implications of ocrelizumab administration delay in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were assessed. Methods: Relapsing (RMS) and primary progressive (PPMS) MS patients receiving ocrelizumab for at least 6 months at our centre were retrospectively classified, according to the possible occurrence of a delay (≥4 weeks) in treatment administration. Patients were categorized in the extended-interval dosing (EID) group in the presence of at least one delayed infusion; otherwise they were considered as part of the standard interval dosing (SID) cohort. MS history, magnetic resonance imaging examinations and B-cell counts were also retrospectively collected and analysed. Results: A total of 213 RMS and 61 PPMS patients were enrolled; 115 RMS and 29 PPMS patients had been treated according to the SID regimen, whilst 98 RMS and 32 PPMS patients were included in the EID cohort. Average follow-up after delay was 1.28 ± 0.7 years in the EID cohort. In RMS, comparing SID and EID patients, no differences were found considering the occurrence of clinical relapses (9.6% vs. 16.3%, p = 0.338), magnetic resonance imaging activity (9.8% vs. 14.1%, p = 0.374) or disability progression (11.3% vs. 18.4%, p = 0.103). Similar findings were observed in PPMS patients. In the pooled EID group, treatment delay correlated with CD19-positive relative (r = 0.530, p < 0.001) and absolute (r = 0.491, p < 0.001) cell counts, without implications on disease activity. Conclusions: Sporadic ocrelizumab administration delay granted sustained treatment efficacy in our cohort. Prospective data should be obtained to confirm these observations and set up systematic extended-interval regimens.
2023
SARS-CoV-2
extended-interval dosing
multiple sclerosis
ocrelizumab
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11768/143636
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