[Recent advances in the treatment of large vessel vasculitides].

Giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis classified to large vessel vasculitides have similar histopathology in the vascular wall proposing that these entities can be different phenotypes on a spectrum of a single disorder. Glucocorticoids are the mainstay of therapy combined with cyclophosphamide, azatioprine and mycofenolate mofetil, when it is required. However, a significant proportion of patients are glucocorticoid-dependent despite of the conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and suffer from serious side effects of the steroids, therefore alternate options for more effective disease management are needed. The article reviews the advances in the treatment of large vessel vasculitides. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors seem to be effective in Takayasu arteritis, but have a little benefit in giant cell arteritis. Interleukin-6 inhibitor appears very promising in both refractory giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis as well. Abatacept and ustekinumab also seem to be a good choice for the therapy. Orv. Hetil., 2017, 158(1), 5-12.