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Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Autoimmune Neuromuscular Diseases

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Neuromuscular Disorders in Clinical Practice

Abstract

A number of immunotherapies are now increasingly used to treat the autoimmune neuromuscular diseases. The specific treatments and their utilization for particular neuromuscular conditions are discussed in this chapter. This chapter also offers practical guidelines that can help clinicians use immunosuppressive or immunomodulating drugs prudently and safely. In addition, new or emerging therapies used in these diseases, including biological agents (monoclonal antibodies or recombinant proteins), are reviewed. The immunotherapeutic agents are discussed in general in the first part of the chapter, followed by a disease-specific step-by-step approach.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Michigan State University/Sparrow Health Systems, 3770 Butle Road, Holt, MI, 48842, USA

    Vibhav K. Bansal MD

  2. Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, 220 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Matthew N. Meriggioli MD

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  1. Vibhav K. Bansal MD
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  2. Matthew N. Meriggioli MD
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Correspondence to Matthew N. Meriggioli MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Bashar Katirji

  2. Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henry J. Kaminski

  3. University School of Medicine Department of Neurology, Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

    Robert L. Ruff

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Bansal, V.K., Meriggioli, M.N. (2014). Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Autoimmune Neuromuscular Diseases. In: Katirji, B., Kaminski, H., Ruff, R. (eds) Neuromuscular Disorders in Clinical Practice. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6567-6_17

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