Treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA).

ABSTRACT: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most frequent primary large-vessel vasculitis in individuals older than 50. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are considered the cornerstone of treatment. GC therapy is usually tapered over months according to clinical symptoms and inflammatory marker levels. Considering the high rate of GC-related adverse events in these older individuals, immunosuppressive treatments and biologic agents have been proposed as add-on therapies. Methotrexate was considered an alternative option, but its clinical impact was limited. Other immunosuppressants failed to demonstrate a significant favourable benefit/risk ratio. The approval of tocilizumab, an anti-interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitor brought significant improvement. Indeed, tocilizumab had a noticeable effect on cumulativ

SUBMITTER: Regent A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8999932 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature