Welcome

Queen Square Annual Update in Neuromuscular Disorders

This course will be held from Wednesday 13th May to Friday 15th May in the Clinical Neuroscience Lecture Theatre, Lower ground, 33 Queen Square, London WC1N 3B

DETAILS/REGISTRATION

Brain Fellowships

New NHSE commissioning policies for rituximab and IVIg

• We are pleased to announce that, largely due to the efforts of our president Prof Lunn, rituximab is now approved for treatment of IgM paraproteinaemic demyelinating peripheral neuropathy (anti-MAG phenotype, with or without anti-MAG antibodies): 1910-rituximab-for-treatment-of-PDPN-policy-v2.pdf (england.nhs.uk).  Whilst we have hitherto been able to treat some patients with rituximab by sending them to a haematologist, this was not possible if the bone marrow showed insufficient evidence of underlying lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.  These patients can now be treated, regardless of bone marrow result, either by you or by your friendly haematologist, under the new commissioning guidance. 
• Also thanks to Prof Lunn (alongside non-neurology colleagues), the updated IVIg commissioning policy is now available: Commissioning-Criteria-Policy-for-the-use-of-Ig-Version-Finala.pdf (mdsas.com).  Newly commissioned diagnoses of relevance to peripheral nerve now include acute autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy, and neuromyotonia.
• Finally, with thanks largely to the efforts of Dr Rinaldi in Oxford, rituximab can now be used for the treatment of autoimmune nodopathies (with nodal/paranodal antibodies):  NHS England » Rituximab therapy for the treatment of nodal/paranodal antibody positive inflammatory/autoimmune neuropathy in adults and postpubescent children. 

GWAS study of CIDP

Members are encouraged to participate in a genome-wide association study of CIDP. Brief details can be found HERE