Long-term treatment with tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis: efficacy and safety in a monocentric cohort of patients

Rheumatology Advances in Practice
Francesca RegolaPaola Toniati

Abstract

The efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ) in GCA is supported by two randomized controlled studies, in which TCZ allowed remission to be achieved after 52 weeks of treatment. However, after discontinuation of treatment, half of the patients relapsed. The aim of this study was to analyse the efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with TCZ and the role of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PET/CT scanning in the follow-up of these patients. We collected the clinical data of a monocentric cohort of GCA patients retrospectively. Thirty-two patients were treated with TCZ [25 males and 7 females; age = 74 (59-81) years]. Most of them achieved and maintained clinical remission (1 month: 69%; 3 months: 91%; 6 months: 96%; 12 months: 100%), with serological and FDG-PET/CT scan improvement and a reduction of concomitant glucocorticoid therapy. Nineteen patients were treated for >52 weeks, and in 13 of them a dose tapering was performed, whereas in 2 cases TCZ was suspended for disease remission. Only two patients relapsed: one during TCZ tapering and one after TCZ discontinuation. Ten cases of mild infections and a case of urinary sepsis were reported; in patients treated for >1 year there was no increase in the incidence of side effects compared with...Continue Reading

References

Feb 20, 1999·Arthritis and Rheumatism·A BrackC M Weyand
Mar 5, 2005·European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·Martin A WalterEgbert U Nitzsche
Oct 1, 2009·Arthritis and Rheumatism·Miguel A Gonzalez-GayJavier Llorca
Nov 15, 2011·Rheumatology·Carlo SalvaraniLuigi Boiardi
Sep 7, 2014·Rheumatology·Francesco MuratoreKenneth J Warrington
Jul 27, 2017·The New England Journal of Medicine·John H StoneNeil Collinson
Jan 24, 2018·Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases·Christian DejacoWolfgang A Schmidt
Jul 5, 2019·Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases·Bernhard HellmichRaashid Ahmed Luqmani

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 5, 2021·European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·K S M van der GeestR H J A Slart
Sep 30, 2021·Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases·Ignatius Ryan AdriawanGeorgios Sogkas

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
imaging technique
biopsy
electrophoresis
imaging techniques
ESR

Software Mentioned

GraphPad

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved