Noninfectious aortitis: Experience with tocilizumab in a regional hospital

Abstract

Objectives: Describe patients with noninfectious aortitis and their response to treatment in a regional hospital.

Methods: Review of patients with noninfectious aortitis, diagnostic technique used and immunosuppressive therapy received.

Results: We report 8 patients (7 women and one man) diagnosed with aortitis by positron emission tomography (PET). The mean age was 69years (interquartile range [IQR] 62-72.2). Three months of treatment with tocilizumab improved symptoms, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level (P<.001 and P<.012, respectively) in the 6 patients in whom it was used.

Conclusions: Tocilizumab was an effective and safe treatment in those patients diagnosed with aortitis refractory to steroids and conventional immunosuppressive therapy.

Keywords: Aortitis; Arteritis de células gigantes; Giant cell arteritis; Polimialgia reumática; Polymyalgia rheumatica; Positron emission tomography; Tocilizumab; Tomografía por emisión de positrones.