Saiki O, et al. - Researchers have previously showed the possibility that, in more than 60% of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with low diseases activity (LDA) at 4-week intervals, the interval between successive intravenous (IV) tocilizumab (TCZ) can be prolonged from 4 to 6 weeks. With this in mind, they assessed the effectiveness and safety of lengthening the interval from 4 to 6 weeks in this retrospective observational study, which enrolled 125 patients in whom the intervals of TCZ infusions could be extended from 4 to 6 weeks with an LDA for over 2 years. Serum lipid, platelet, IL-6, and trough TCZ levels were also assessed. They found maintained treatment effectiveness and significantly decreased side effects after lengthening the infusion intervals, so intervals between TCZ infusions can be lengthened from 4 to 6 weeks in more than 60% of RA patients. Additionally, they noted levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride returned to normal, and undetectable serum trough levels of TCZ at 6-week intervals.