Tocilizumab Might Be an Option for Managing Giant Cell Arteritis

The standard of care for patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) is steroid therapy. However, prolonged courses of steroids often are required, leading to substantial steroid-associated complications. Until now, steroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapies have not been convincingly effective, but case series have suggested that the interleukin-6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab (Actemra) effectively treats patients with GCA. In …