Clinical outcomes of patients with giant cell arteritis treated with tocilizumab in real-world clinical practice: decreased incidence of new visual manifestations.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Placebo-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ) for remission maintenance and glucocorticoid sparing in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). However, limited data exist on the effectiveness and safety of TCZ for GCA in real-world clinical practice.

Methods

This was a retrospective, single-center analysis of patients with GCA treated with intravenous or subcutaneous TCZ (2010-2018). Outcomes evaluated before and after TCZ initiation included occurrence of flare, time to flare, annualized flare rate, flare characteristics (i.e., polymyalgia rheumatica [PMR] symptoms, cranial manifestations), prednisone use, and safety. Flare was defined as the recurrence of unequivocal GCA manifestations requiring treatment intensification

SUBMITTER: Unizony S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7789742 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature