ArticleRMD open2026
Complete PET/CT extinction and subsequent risk of aortic dilation in patients with giant cell arteritis-related large vessel vasculitis treated with tocilizumab.
Article in RMD open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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18 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundThe proportion of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA)-related large vessel vasculitis (LVV) treated with tocilizumab (TCZ) who achieve a complete metabolic response on repeated 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (
methodsWe conducted a retrospective multicentre study that enrolled patients with GCA-related LVV demonstrated on PET/CT, who were treated with TCZ and underwent at least one repeated PET/CT. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with vascular extinction on repeated PET/CT during or after TCZ treatment (grade 0 or 1 on the visual vascular to liver FDG uptake grading scale).
resultsA total of 91 patients (64 women (70%), median age: 69 (54-83) years) were included. Clinical remission and a complete metabolic response on PET/CT were observed in 69 patients (76%). Among these, 30 had discontinued all GCA treatments and had not relapsed after >12 months of follow-up post negative PET/CT; the remaining 39 patients were still treated or had <12 months of follow-up after the negative PET/CT.13 (14%) patients experienced a relapse of LVV on a third PET/CT within 12 months after TCZ discontinuation. During follow-up, an aortic dilation occurred in one (1%) patient with complete metabolic extinction and in four (18%) patients who did not show complete and persisting PET/CT extinction (p=0.006 by log-rank test).
conclusionThis study suggests that TCZ is an interesting therapeutic option for achieving complete metabolic response on PET/CT in patients with GCA-related LVV. The subsequent risk of aortic dilation may be reduced.
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