Journal
NEUROLOGY-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION
Volume 7, Issue 5, Pages -Publisher
LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
DOI: 10.1212/NXI.0000000000000847
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Funding
- Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw
- NWO-Vidi grant 2017) [917.17.308]
- Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw
- NWO-Vici grant 2019) [918.19.627]
- European Research Council (ERC) [281156]
- Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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Objective To assess the efficacy and risks of treatment with infliximab (anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha) in pathology-confirmed neurosarcoidosis. Methods In a retrospective study in 2 tertiary referral centers in the Netherlands, we analyzed clinical characteristics, complications, and outcome of patients with neurosarcoidosis treated with infliximab. Results Twenty-eight patients were identified with a mean age of 42 years. Neurosarcoidosis presented with a cerebral parenchymal localization in 16 (59%), pituitary gland/hypothalamic sarcoidosis in 15 (54%), peripheral nerve involvement in 12 (43%), and chronic meningitis in 11 patients (41%). Initial treatment response after the start of infliximab was complete remission in 6 (21%) and improvement in 14 (50%), whereas 7 patients had stable disease (25%), and 1 (4%) deteriorated and died. At the end of follow-up, with a median of 32 months, 5 patients (18%) had died, and 2 (40%) were using infliximab at the time of death. Tapering or discontinuation of corticosteroids without a relapse was achieved in 19 of 28 patients (68%). In patients with decreasing dosing or discontinuation of infliximab, a relapse occurred in 5 of 19 patients (26%). Complications of infliximab were reported in 10 of 28 patients (36%) and mainly consisted of infections in 8 (29%). Conclusion Infliximab is an effective treatment in neurosarcoidosis leading to remission or improvement in 70%. The mortality rate in infliximab-treated patients was substantial, indicating the severity of disease and treatment-associated complications.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class IV evidence that in people with pathology-confirmed neurosarcoidosis, infliximab is beneficial.
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