Background~Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is an immune-mediated disease that mostly affects people older than 50 years of age. Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment dramatically alters the symptoms and course of GCA, reducing the likelihood of vascular complications that could lead e.g. to blindness. However, relapses usually occur when GC dosages are tapered, resulting in frequent re-treatment with high cumulative dosages of GC over time with substantial toxicity and morbidity (e.g. diabetes mellitus, infections, enhanced cardiovascular risk, osteoporotic fractures, cataracts).~Therefore, novel therapies are needed that effectively reduce the dose and duration of GC treatment and provide more durable remissions of GCA.~Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the human interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R). Elevated tissue and serum levels of IL-6 have been implicated in giant cell arteritis. Inhibition of IL-6 and/or its receptor therefore represents a new and novel approach for the treatment of RA.~Objective~The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients that have achieved complete remission of disease (normal ESR and CRP + absence of signs and symptoms) at Week 12 at a GC dose of 0.1 mg/kg/d of prednisone.~Methods~2-arm (Tocilizumab + Glucocorticoids (GCs) vs. Placebo + GCs), randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, monocentric trial in patients with newly onset or relapsing giant cell arteritis (GCA), satisfying ACR criteria AND an elevated sedimentation rate above 40 mm/h and a CRP > 20 mg/L AND a biopsy proven GCA OR a large vessel vasculitis assessed by MR Angiography (MRA).
Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is an immune-mediated disease that mostly affects people older than 50 years of age. Glucocorticoid (GC) treatment dramatically alters the symptoms and course of GCA, reducing the likelihood of vascular complications that could lead e.g. to blindness. However, relapses usually occur when GC dosages are tapered, resulting in frequent re-treatment with high cumulative dosages of GC over time with substantial toxicity and morbidity (e.g. diabetes mellitus, infections, enhanced cardiovascular risk, osteoporotic fractures, cataracts).~Therefore, novel therapies are needed that effectively reduce the dose and duration of GC treatment and provide more durable remissions of GCA.~Tocilizumab (TCZ) is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against the human interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R). Elevated tissue and serum levels of IL-6 have been implicated in giant cell arteritis. Inhibition of IL-6 and/or its receptor therefore represents a new and novel approach for the treatment of RA.~The primary endpoint is the proportion of patients that have achieved complete remission of disease after treatment with TCZ compared to treatment with placebo at week 12. All patients will receive glucocorticoids in a standardized form.