Treatment of primary CNS vasculitis with rituximab: case report

Primary CNS vasculitis (PCNSV) is an uncommon disorder of unknown cause that is restricted to brain and spinal cord. Glucocorticoids alone or in combination with cyclophosphamide achieve a favorable response in most patients.(1,2) However, some patients are intolerant or respond poorly to cyclophosphamide; therefore, there is the need for new treatment options. We report a patient with PCNSV who appeared to respond to treatment with corticosteroids and rituximab. This study was approved by the Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board and written informed patient consent to perform the study was obtained.