Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Infection risk associated with steroid-sparing therapies in giant cell arteritis (GCA), polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), and ANCA-associated vasculitis: A systematic review
Authors' conclusion
Steroid-sparing therapies reduced glucocorticoid exposure with varying magnitudes but were not consistently associated with lower infection risk.
Study context
- Population
- Adults (averaged≥50 years) with GCA, PMR or ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) in randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
- Participants
- 1,487 adults10 RCTs
- Comparison
- Biologics or small molecules plus GC vs GC monotherapy
- Outcome
- RR of infection
Methodological details4 tocilizumab, 3 avacopan, 2 sarilumab, and 1 upadacitinib RCTs
- 4 tocilizumab, 3 avacopan, 2 sarilumab, and 1 upadacitinib RCTs
Pooled result
As reported in the abstract
Infection risk
- Active intervention with much lower GC dosing than comparator: RR for infection close to 1 or <1
- Active intervention GC dose comparable to comparator: RR for infection >1
Original publication
Infection risk associated with steroid-sparing therapies in GCA, PMR, and ANCA-associated vasculitis: A systematic review. Joint Bone Spine. Published 19 September 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →