Clinical features of patients with giant cell arteritis treated by TCZ
| Author/reference | N | Age (years)/ sex | Immunosuppressive agent before starting TCZ | Prednisone-equivalent/day before starting TCZ | TCZ dosage and duration of treatment | Results | Onset of response | Adverse events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kieffer et al29 | 3 | 73, F 70, F 7, F | MTX=2 (15 mg/week) anti-TNFα=1 | 6–30 mg | 8 mg/kg 3–17 months | Remission | 1–2 months | 1 death caused by cardiogenic shock and septicaemia |
| Vinit et al30 | 1 | 63, F | MTX (20 mg/week) | 20 mg | 8 mg/kg 3 months | Remission | 1 month | No |
| Unizony et al24 | 7 | 69 (NA) | MTX=3 (dosage ND) AZA=1 anti-TNFα=2 CYC=3 | 20 mg | 8 mg/kg (4 mg/kg in 2 cases) ND | Remission | 2–3 months | Leucopaenia N=4 liver cytolysis N=4 Death (myocardial infarction) N=1 |
| Beyer et al31 | 3 | 79, F 72, F 71, F | AZA=1, mycophenolate mofetil=1 | 30 mg | 8 mg/kg 6 months | Remission | Rapid (no precision) | NA |
| Seitz et al32 | 5 | 70 (mean) 3F, 2 M | No | 30 mg | 8 mg/kg 4–7 months | Remission | 2 months | No |
| Christidis et al33 | 1 | 63, F | MTX (dosage ND), AZA | 60 mg | 8 mg/kg 6 months | Remission | 1 month | neutropaenia |
| Evans et al34 | 8 | 70 (mean) 4 F, 4 M | LFM N=3 | 24.6 mg | 8 mg/kg 34 months | Clinical improvement N=1 | ND | 1 neutropaenia 1 infection (empyema) |
| Loricera et al35 | 22 | 69 (mean) 17F, 5 M | Immunosuppressive drugs=19 (MTX=18 dosage ND; AZA=1; LFM=1) Anti-TNFα N=2 RTX=1 ABA=1 | 26 mg | 8 mg/kg 12 months | Clinical improvement N=20 No change in visual impairment N=2 | 1 month | 1 death (stroke) 2 neutropaenia 1 pneumonia |
| Régent et al36 | 34 | 70.5 (mean) 27 F, 7 M | Immunosuppressive drugs=20 (MTX=18 dosage ND; AZA=1; LFM=1; dapsone=1) anti-TNFα N=4 anti-IL-1=1 | 26 mg | 8 mg/kg (4 mg/kg N=1) 13 months | Responders N=28 Non-responders N=6 | 1–2 months | Neutropaenia N=3 infections N=2 (one death due to septic shock) liver cytolysis N=1 |
| Villiger et al37 | 30 (20 TCZ 10 placebo) | 70 (mean) 21 F, 9 M | No | 0.1 mg/kg | 8 mg/kg 12 months | Remission TCZ 80% Placebo 20% | NA | TCZ: pyloric ulcer perforation N=1 Gastrointestinal bleeding N=1 Viral hepatitis N=1 |
ABA, abatacept; AZA, azathioprine; CYC, cyclophosphamide; F, female; IL, interleukin; LFM, leflunomide; M, male; MTX, methotrexate; NA, not available; RTX, rituximab; TCZ, tocilizumab.