Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Coming to a hard stop? Effect of tapered tocilizumab after weekly tocilizumab cessation for GCA: a multicentre evaluation
Authors' conclusion
Tapering TCZ after qwTCZ cessation delayed relapse only during the tapering period, but only in adequate responders to qwTCZ. No lasting benefit was seen after tapering ended.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with GCA stopping weekly tocilizumab in England, 40 centres
- Participants
- 336 patients40 centres
- Comparison
- Tapered TCZ after qwTCZ cessation vs abrupt stop
- Primary endpoint
- Time to relapse after qwTCZ cessation, taper vs non-taper, by adequate response during qwTCZ (in remission and on ≤5 mg prednisolone at qwTCZ cessation, without relapse whilst taking qwTCZ)
Primary result
As reported in the abstract
Time to relapse
- Taper vs Non-taper: P = 0.0231
- Taper vs Non-taper: P = 0.8346
- Taper vs Non-taper: P = 0.4892
Further findings
| Outcome | P value |
|---|---|
| Time to relapse after qwTCZ cessation, adequate vs non-adequate respondersSignificantly longer in adequate responders | P = 0.0004 |
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
Coming to a hard stop? Effect of tapered tocilizumab after weekly tocilizumab cessation for GCA: a multicentre evaluation. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 26 August 2025. doi:10.
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