Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Treatment of giant cell arteritis with ultra-short glucocorticoids and tocilizumab: the role of imaging in a prospective observational study
Authors' conclusion
TCZ monotherapy after ultra-short-pulse GCs controlled the clinical symptoms of GCA and reduced vascular inflammation.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with active large vessel-GCA (LV-GCA)72% female, mean age 68.5 years
- Participants
- 18 patients
- Exposure
- Tocilizumab (TCZ) monotherapy after ultra-short-pulse glucocorticoids (GCs)
- Outcome
- Reduction in PETVAS vs baseline; proportion with relapse-free remission
- Follow-up
- Weeks 24 and 52
Methodological detailssingle-group, PET/CT in all patients at baseline and weeks 24 and 52
- Single-group
- PET/CT in all patients at baseline and weeks 24 and 52
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Mean PET vascular activity score (PETVAS) reduction vs baseline, week 24 (95% CI −11.5 to −5.7), P = 0.001
−8.6
Mean PETVAS reduction vs baseline, week 52 (95% CI −13.6 to −7.2), P = 0.002
−10.4
Relapse-free remission, week 24: 10/18
56%
95% CI 31–78
Relapse-free remission, week 52: 8/17
47%
95% CI 23–72
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Secondary outcomes
Relapse-free remission (co-primary) · weeks 24 and 52
- Relapse-free remission, week 24
- 10/18 (56%, 95% CI 31-78)
- Relapse-free remission, week 52
- 8/17 (47%, 95% CI 23-72)
New aortic dilation (secondary end point) · weeks 24 and 52
- Patients with aortic dilation at baseline showing significant increase in aortic diameter (≥5 mm) at week 52
- 4
- No patient had shown new aortic dilation
Parts of this Brief are withheld: the automatic checks could not confirm them against the abstract.
Original publication
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