Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39210189›Full record

ArticleImmunologic research2024

Predictive biomarkers of response to tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis (GCA): correlations with imaging activity.

Maurizio Benucci, Ilaria Di Girolamo, Antonino Di Girolamo, Francesca Li Gobbi, Arianna Damiani, Serena Guiducci, Barbara Lari, Valentina Grossi, Maria Infantino, Mariangela Manfredi

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Article in Immunologic research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Maurizio BenucciRheumatology Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy. maurizio.benucci@uslcentro.toscana.it.
Ilaria Di GirolamoRheumatology Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Antonino Di GirolamoRheumatology Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Francesca Li GobbiRheumatology Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Arianna DamianiDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Serena GuiducciDepartment of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Barbara LariImmunology and Allergology Laboratory Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Valentina GrossiImmunology and Allergology Laboratory Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Maria InfantinoImmunology and Allergology Laboratory Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.
Mariangela ManfrediImmunology and Allergology Laboratory Unit, S. Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, Azienda USL-Toscana Centro, Florence, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

In the recent EULAR recommendations, ultrasound examination is now recommended as a first-line imaging test in all patients with suspected giant cell arteritis (GCA) and the axillary arteries should be included in the standard exam. As an alternative to ultrasound evaluation, cranial and extracranial arteries can be examined using FDG-PET or MRI. The aim of our study was to observe in a retrospective case series whether there is a correlation between biomarkers and imaging activity in a population of patients followed in real life with GCA treated with prednisone (PDN) and tocilizumab (TCZ). We retrospectively enrolled 68 patients with newly diagnosed GCA between January 2020 and September 2021, followed in real life, who were examined at the Rheumatology Unit of the San Giovanni di Dio Hospital, Florence, Italy. Patients were evaluated at T0-T3-T6-T12-T18-T24 for the following blood tests: ESR, CRP, fibrinogen, platelet count, serum amyloid A (SAA), IL-6, and circulating calprotectin (MRP). Ultrasound examination of the temporal arteries and axillary arteries was assessed at T0 within 7 days of starting treatment with high-dose glucocorticoids and subsequently at T3-T6-T12-T18-T24. A scale from 0 to 3 with semi-quantitative tools (SUV max) was assessed at T0-T12-T24. The evaluation of the correlation coefficient between laboratory and imaging variables has shown that SAA and MRP have the most powerful correlation with the PET score (0.523 and 0.64), and MRP also has an excellent correlation coefficient with the Halo score (0.658). The evaluation of the ROC curves shows for a PET score 3 and SAA values higher than 26 mg/L, sensitivity of 81.5% and specificity of 84.1%, and for a PET score 3 and MRP values higher than 2.3 mcg/mL, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 76.8%. In this study, we demonstrated that SAA and MRP can be useful as promising tools to detect GCA activity. The study demonstrates a good correlation between the two biomarkers and the imaging activity evaluated by the Halo and PET scores.

Indexed as

Antibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedBiomarkersGiant Cell ArteritisAgedAged, 80 and overAxillary ArteryFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPositron-Emission TomographyPrednisoneRetrospective StudiesSerum Amyloid A ProteinTemporal ArteriesTreatment OutcomeAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedBiomarkersPrednisoneSerum Amyloid A ProteintocilizumabBiomarkersFDG-PET/CT scanGiant cell arteritisHalo score

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.