Real-World Case Series of Ravulizumab Use in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis in Romania

<b>Background and Objectives:</b> Ravulizumab, a long-acting C5 complement inhibitor, was approved in the US and Europe in 2022 as an add-on therapy for the standard treatment of AChR-positive generalized MG (gMG). We share our real-world experience with adult patients receiving this therapy in Romania. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Six AChR-positive gMG patients received ravulizumab through an Early Access Program (January 2023-October 2024). Patient outcomes were assessed at the therapy start and q8w using Quantitative MG (QMG), MG Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL), and MG Quality of Life 15-item revised (MG-QoL15r) scales. <b>Results:</b> Age at disease onset ranged from 15 to 35 years. Four of the six patients were women. Two patients had gMG severity level of IIa, and four patients of IIb according to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification. Five patients experienced rapid and sustained improvements in MG symptoms with MG-ADL score reductions ranged from -3 to -5 at 26 weeks post-ravulizumab start (except for those with a low baseline score: three and one). QMG score dropped in three patients (-2 to 12) during the treatment period, increased in two (+2 and +8), and remained stable in one (zero). Three patients showed sustained improvement in MG symptoms after ≥60 weeks. MG-QoL15r significantly dropped (-22 to -10) throughout the treatment period. One patient experienced ravulizumab-associated adverse events (vomiting, diarrhea, chills) that resolved within 24 h following symptomatic management, two to three episodes of myasthenic exacerbations during treatment, and discontinued it. <b>Conclusions:</b> All cases presented here had early-onset AChR antibody-positive, non-thymomatous MG. Despite differences in disease duration and underlying conditions, clinically meaningful and sustained improvements in gMG symptoms, and reduced corticosteroid doses were observed in all patients except one after adding ravulizumab to the treatment plan.

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Journal
Brain Sciences
Published
2025-03-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15040350
Primary Topic
Myasthenia Gravis and Thymoma
Type
article
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article

Real-World Case Series of Ravulizumab Use in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis in Romania

Bogdan Marius Istrate, Adriana Octaviana Dulămea, Crisanda Vîlciu, Oana Antonia Mihalache et al.
Brain Sciences
Myasthenia Gravis and Thymoma
article

Real-World Case Series of Ravulizumab Use in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis in Romania

Bogdan Marius Istrate, Adriana Octaviana Dulămea, Crisanda Vîlciu, Oana Antonia Mihalache, Mirela Drăghici, Diana M. Petrescu, Daniela Anghel, Mihaela Marian
article en

Abstract

<b>Background and Objectives:</b> Ravulizumab, a long-acting C5 complement inhibitor, was approved in the US and Europe in 2022 as an add-on therapy for the standard treatment of AChR-positive generalized MG (gMG). We share our real-world experience with adult patients receiving this therapy in Romania. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Six AChR-positive gMG patients received ravulizumab through an Early Access Program (January 2023-October 2024). Patient outcomes were assessed at the therapy start and q8w using Quantitative MG (QMG), MG Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL), and MG Quality of Life 15-item revised (MG-QoL15r) scales. <b>Results:</b> Age at disease onset ranged from 15 to 35 years. Four of the six patients were women. Two patients had gMG severity level of IIa, and four patients of IIb according to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) classification. Five patients experienced rapid and sustained improvements in MG symptoms with MG-ADL score reductions ranged from -3 to -5 at 26 weeks post-ravulizumab start (except for those with a low baseline score: three and one). QMG score dropped in three patients (-2 to 12) during the treatment period, increased in two (+2 and +8), and remained stable in one (zero). Three patients showed sustained improvement in MG symptoms after ≥60 weeks. MG-QoL15r significantly dropped (-22 to -10) throughout the treatment period. One patient experienced ravulizumab-associated adverse events (vomiting, diarrhea, chills) that resolved within 24 h following symptomatic management, two to three episodes of myasthenic exacerbations during treatment, and discontinued it. <b>Conclusions:</b> All cases presented here had early-onset AChR antibody-positive, non-thymomatous MG. Despite differences in disease duration and underlying conditions, clinically meaningful and sustained improvements in gMG symptoms, and reduced corticosteroid doses were observed in all patients except one after adding ravulizumab to the treatment plan.

Brain SciencesVol. 15(4)
Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy (RO), Institutul Clinic Fundeni (RO)
Openalex Percentile: Top 90%
Myasthenia Gravis and Thymoma
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