Mycophenolate mofetil therapy for two cases of antiphospholipid antibody-associated chorea

Abstract

Chorea is associated with involuntary movement and may occur via an autoimmune mechanism. Until now, we treated immune-mediated chorea with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide as the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) therapy for this condition was unknown. Here, we report two cases of antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-associated chorea that were cured by MMF. Measurement of aPL could help for future management of chorea patients. This report provides new insight into the beneficial effects of MMF on aPL-associated chorea.

Keywords:

• Antiphospholipid antibody
• Chorea
• Mycophenolate mofetil
• Side effect

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Tatsuya Atsumi for measurement and assessment of aPL, Dr. Masaki Shimizu for measurement and assessment of cytokines, Dr. Yoshinori Kawamura for viral analysis, Dr. Ichiro Miya for measurement and assessment of anti-NMDA antibodies, Dr. Takao Fujii for measurement and assessment of anti-neural antibodies, and Dr. Syu Watanabe for measurement and assessment for anti-VGKC antibodies.

Conflict of interest

MM has received lecture fees from MSD, Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma, and Pfizer Japan Inc., and has served as a consultant to Bristol-Myers Squibb and Astellas Pharm. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Supplementary material available online