Trial Data Reveals the Limitations of Steroids in Giant Cell Arteritis Therapy

And how quickly can prednisone be stopped?

“I think even six months is too long a course in many of our patients,” Dr. Stone said. “This needs to be studied in other trials and longitudinal series. But I would really aim to get patients off steroids completely in four months or so.”

Thomas R. Collins is a freelance writer living in South Florida.

References

1. Stone JH, Tuckwell K, Dimonaco S, et al. Trial of tocilizumab in giant-cell arteritis. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jul 27;377(4):317–328.