Nakaoka Y, Yanagawa M, Hata A, et al. - In this post hoc analysis, ∼60% of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK) did not develop progression in wall thickness within 96 weeks after starting tocilizumab treatment. Few individuals had dilatation/aneurysm or stenosis/occlusion that had progressed. Refractory TAK most likely caused the increase in wall thickness. Patients who have this should be examined with imaging on a frequent basis, and extra glucocorticoid or immunosuppressive therapy should be sought to prevent vascular progression.

• At week 96, 86.7% of 22 arteries in 28 patients had improved/stable wall thickness.

• For wall thickness, the proportions of patients with improved/stable, partially progressed, or newly progressed lesions were 57.1%, 10.7%, and 28.6%, respectively.

• For dilatation/aneurysm, the proportions with improved/stable lesions were 92.9%, and for stenosis/occlusion, the proportions with improved/stable lesions were 85.7%.

• At week 96, patients with newly advanced lesions, indicating more refractory disease, were given glucocorticoids in doses that could not be lowered below 0.1 mg/kg/day.