Yoshikazu Nakaoka, Mitsuaki Isobe, Yoshiya Tanaka, Tomonori Ishii, Seido Ooka, Hiroaki Niiro, Naoto Tamura, Shogo Banno, Hajime Yoshifuji, Yasushi Sakata, Atsushi Kawakami, Tatsuya Atsumi, Shunsuke Furuta, Hitoshi Kohsaka, Katsuya Suzuki, Ryoki Hara, Yasuhiro Maejima, Hiroshi Tsukamoto, Yoshinari Takasaki, Katsuhisa Yamashita, Norihiro Okada, Shinji Yamakido, Syuji Takei, Shumpei Yokota, Norihiro Nishimoto
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term efficacy and safety of the IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK). METHODS: Patients completing the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled period of the TAKT (Takayasu arteritis Treated with Tocilizumab) trial were followed up during open-label extended treatment with weekly s.c. tocilizumab 162 mg for up to 96 weeks or longer, with oral glucocorticoid tapering performed at the investigators' discretion...
September 1, 2020: Rheumatology