Pos1435 Tocilizumab in Monotherapy vs. Combined in Aortitis Associated With Giant Cell Arteritis: Multicenter Open-Label Study of 196 Patients

Background: Aortitis related to Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA-aortitis) is a frequent and potential severe complication. Tocilizumab (TCZ) was approved in GCA, but the efficacy in GCA- aortitis has not been specifically studied in randomized clinical trials. Objectives: To assess the effectiveness and safety of TCZ in monotheraphy compared with combined in a wide series of GCA-aortitis. Methods: Multicentre observational study with GCA-aortitis treated with TCZ. GCA was diagnosed by: a) ACR criteria, b) temporal artery biopsy, and/or c) imaging techniques. Aortitis was diagnosed mainly by PET/CT. Main outcomes were EULAR and imaging remission (considered when vascular FDG uptake was less than liver uptake in 18 F-FDG PET/CT). Others were clinical remission, corticosteroid-sparing effect, TCZ optimization and adverse effects. Results: We studied 196 patients with GCA-aortitis treated with TCZ (136 in monotheraphy/60 combined with others DMARDs). Figure 1. After 24 months, there were statistical differences in imaging and complete remission (17.2% vs 42.1%) Figure 2. Nevertheless, there were no differences in clinical and EULAR remission. Conclusion: In GCA-aortitis, TCZ therapy combined with DMARDs could be more effective than in monotherapy in imaging and complete remission. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: Adrián Martín-Gutiérrez: None declared, Javier Loricera Roche, Galápagos, Novartis, UCB Pharma, MSD, Celgene, Astra Zeneca, and Grünenthal, Janssen, Abbvie, Roche, Novartis, MSD, UCB Pharma, Celgene, Lilly, Pfizer, Galápagos, Carmen Secada-Gómez: None declared, Javier Narváez: None declared, Olga Maiz: None declared, Iñigo Hernández-Rodríguez AbbVie, Amgen, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Sanofi, Pfizer, UCB y Galápagos, AbbVie, Amgen, Janssen, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Sanofi, Pfizer, UCB y Galápagos, Susana Romero-Yuste Abbvie, Astra-Zeneca, Bristol, Janssen, Lilly, Roche, Sandoz, Sanofi, UCB, Eugenio De Miguel Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, BMS, UCB, Grunental and Sanofi, Abbvie, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, BMS, UCB, Grunental and Sanofi, Eva Galíndez-Agirregoikoa: None declared, Iván Ferraz-Amaro Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, Celgene, and MSD, Abbvie, MSD, Janssen, and Roche, Julio Sanchez-Martin: None declared, Patricia Moya: None declared, Cristina Campos Fernández: None declared, Fernando López-Gutiérrez Janssen, Abbvie, Roche, Novartis, MSD, UCB Pharma, Celgene, Lilly, Pfizer, Galápagos, Santos Castañeda assistant professor of the cátedra EPID-Future, funded by UAM-Roche, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain, BMS, Eli-Lilly, Roche, Gedeon-Richter, Grünenthal Pharma and UCB, MSD and Pfizer, Ricardo Blanco AbbVie, Pfizer, Roche, GSK, Lilly, UCB, Bristol-Myers, Novartis, Janssen, UCB and MSD, AbbVie, MSD, and Roche.