Women with Multiple Sclerosis on B-Cell Suppressing Therapies Could Face Increased Risk of Inflammatory Vaginitis

Therapies targeting B-cells have proven effective for multiple sclerosis (MS) and are extensively utilized. While many healthcare providers remain cautious about the extended use of B-cell depleting therapies in the elderly, less is known about potential side effects in younger populations undergoing such treatments.

A new case series led by Claire Riley, MD, Karen L.K. Miller Associate Professor of Neurology and Medical Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Columbia sheds greater light on inflammatory vaginitis (IV) as a potential complication of B-cell depletion in women with MS. The report was recently published in the journal of Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

Multiple Sclerosis Nurse Practitioner and first author Libby Levine, RN, ANP-BC described the cases of four women treated with B-cell depleting therapy at Columbia, in which “recurrent and refractory IV symptoms led to a disease modifying therapy (DMT) change in three of the four cases.”

Dr. Claire Riley explained that "the number of individuals receiving B-cell depleting therapy for MS exponentially increased about seven years ago. In terms of treatment, we're practicing in a time of great plenty in MS, and we need to define the risk-benefit ratio for each of these drugs for each patient. That’s really the dream of personalized medicine.” Dr. Riley also spoke about reducing the risk of unwanted side effects, adding "maybe there are things that we do to mitigate this risk. Anti-CD20 is a very effective drug class for multiple sclerosis. I don't want to take it off the table for young women who might otherwise do very well with it." [read more]

Source: NewYork-Presbyterian Advances