Benefit from B-Lymphocyte Depletion Using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

Øystein Fluge; Ove Bruland; Kristin Risa; Anette Storstein; Einar K. Kristoffersen; Dipak Sapkota; Halvor Næss; Olav Dahl; Harald Nyland; Olav Mella

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0026358

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Benefit from B-Lymphocyte Depletion Using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

Øystein Fluge ,

* E-mail: oystein.fluge@gmail.com

Affiliation Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Ove Bruland,

Affiliations Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Kristin Risa,

Affiliation Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Anette Storstein,

Affiliation Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Einar K. Kristoffersen,

Affiliation Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, and The Gade Institute, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Dipak Sapkota,

Affiliation Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Halvor Næss,

Affiliation Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Olav Dahl,

Affiliations Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, Institute of Internal Medicine, Section of Oncology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Harald Nyland,

Affiliation Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
⨯
Olav Mella

Affiliations Department of Oncology and Medical Physics, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, Institute of Internal Medicine, Section of Oncology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
⨯

Benefit from B-Lymphocyte Depletion Using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

Øystein Fluge,
Ove Bruland,
Kristin Risa,
Anette Storstein,
Einar K. Kristoffersen,
Dipak Sapkota,
Halvor Næss,
Olav Dahl,
Harald Nyland,
Olav Mella

Published: October 19, 2011
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0026358

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Encouragement to monitor glutathione in RTX studies

Posted by richvank on 29 Oct 2011 at 21:28 GMT

I would like to encourage anyone who is studying the response of ME/CFS to Rituximab treatment to monitor glutathione, particularly plasma reduced glutathione.
I suspect that the responses of the various patients in this study would correlate well with the changes in their glutathione levels or lack thereof. Glutathione, being the basis of the antioxidant enzyme system, is sensitive to the state of oxidative stress, which in turn correlates with the level of inflammation. If the Retuximab treatment lowers the level of inflammation, the results of this treatment could be explained on the basis of the Glutathione Depletion--Methylation Cycle Block hypothesis for ME/CFS. More information is available here:

http://iaomt.media.fnf.nu...

Best regards,

Rich Van Konynenburg, Ph.D.

Competing interests declared: I am the proponent of the Glutathione Depletion--Methylation Cycle Block hypothesis for the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of ME/CFS.

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Benefit from B-Lymphocyte Depletion Using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

Benefit from B-Lymphocyte Depletion Using the Anti-CD20 Antibody Rituximab in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. A Double-Blind and Placebo-Controlled Study

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Encouragement to monitor glutathione in RTX studies

Posted by richvank on 29 Oct 2011 at 21:28 GMT