Reviews
IL-6 blockade for Behçet’s disease: review on 31 anti-TNF naive and 45 anti-TNF experienced patients
A. Arida1, D. Saadoun2, P.P. Sfikakis3
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon Hospital, and Joint Academic Rheumatology Programme, National Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. aridakater@yahoo.gr
- Sorbonne Universités, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Centre de Référence des Maladies Auto-Immunes Systémiques Rares, Centre de Référence des Maladies Auto-Inflammatoires et de l’Amylose Inflammatoire, Paris; INSERM, UMR_S 959, Paris, and AP-HP, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
- First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon Hospital, and Joint Academic Rheumatology Programme, National Kapodistrian University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
CER15750
2022 Vol.40, N°8
PI 1575, PF 1583
Reviews
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PMID: 36106545 [PubMed]
Received: 07/04/2022
Accepted : 28/07/2022
In Press: 15/09/2022
Published: 15/09/2022
Abstract
OBJECTIVES:
Despite the remarkable efficacy of anti-TNF agents in Behçet’s disease (BD), unmet therapeutic needs for refractory or intolerant patients to these drugs still exist. Based on evidence implicating IL-6 in the pathogenesis of BD, we summarise the current experience on the off-label administration of the anti-IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab for BD refractory to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
METHODS:
We searched PubMed and EMBASE for original articles published through December 2021 reporting on the use of tocilizumab for BD.
RESULTS:
We retrieved 25 articles fulfilling our search criteria, reporting on a total of 74 patients of whom 31 were anti- TNF naive; 2 additional anti-TNF experienced patients were included. The vast majority (72 of 76) received the standard intravenous dose of tocilizumab, whereas the total follow-up, including also post-treatment follow-up in many patients, ranged from 2 to 84 months without new safety issues. Tocilizumab was given in anti-TNF naive patients predominantly for vascular (n=16), central nervous system (n=7) and ocular involvement (n=5). On the other hand, anti-TNF experienced patients received tocilizumab predominantly for ocular (n=28), central nervous system (n=8) and mucocutaneous involvement (n=6). Tocilizumab was effective in 87% of anti-TNF naive (13 and 14 with complete and partial remission, respectively) and in 80% of anti-TNF experienced patients (17 and 19 with complete and partial remission, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS:
Although preliminary, evidence published so far suggests that IL-6 inhibition is a legitimate therapeutic option for BD patients with refractory ocular, CNS and vascular involvement. Controlled studies are clearly needed.
