Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Relapse after cessation of weekly tocilizumab for giant cell arteritis: a multicentre service evaluation in England
Authors' conclusion
Up to half our patients with GCA relapsed after stopping qwTCZ, often requiring a substantial increase in prednisolone dose. One-third of relapsers had a major relapse.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with relapsing or refractory GCA treated with weekly s.c. tocilizumab (qwTCZ), 40 centres in England
- Participants
- 336 patients40 centres
- Outcome
- Relapse after cessation of qwTCZ
Methodological detailslog-rank test
- Log-rank test
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Relapse after stopping qwTCZ · 6, 12 and 24 months after stopping qwTCZ
Relapsed by 6 months
21.4%
Relapsed by 12 months
35.4%
Relapsed by 24 months
48.6%
Prednisolone dose at relapse, median (IQR), mg/day
20
10–40
Further findings
Major relapse (EULAR definition) among relapsers
- Relapsers with major relapse
- 33.6%
Factors associated with shorter time to relapse
- Previous relapse during qwTCZ treatment
- P = 0.0017
- Not in remission at qwTCZ cessation
- P = 0.0036
- Large vessel involvement on imaging
- P = 0.0296
- Age ≥65 years, gender, GCA-related sight loss, qwTCZ duration, TCZ taper, prednisolone dosing and csDMARD use not associated with time to relapse
- Log-rank test
qwTCZ treatment duration and prednisolone dose at cessation · at stopping qwTCZ
- qwTCZ duration, median (IQR), months
- 12 (12-17)
- Prednisolone dose at stopping, median (IQR), mg/day
- 2 (0-5)
Original publication
Relapse after cessation of weekly tocilizumab for giant cell arteritis: a multicentre service evaluation in England. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 11 November 2023. doi:10.
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