Tocilizumab versus Rituximab in Patients with Moderate to Severe Steroid-resistant Graves’ Orbitopathy

ABSTRACT

Introduction

To describe the efficacy of tocilizumab in patients with Graves’ orbitopathy resistant or dependent to steroids and compare to rituximab treated patients.

Patients and Methods

Graves’s orbitopathy response was considered as decrease of at least 2 points of the CAS.

Results

Twenty-one patients were included, 7 patients were treated with tocilizumab and 14 with rituximab. The primary was achieved in all 7 patients (100%) on tocilizumab and 9 out of 14 patients on (64%) rituximab (p = .17). Mean change in CAS was consistent with a decrease of 3.3 ± 0.5 points in patients on tocilizumab versus 2.5 ± 1.9 in patients on rituximab (p = .07). One patient on tocilizumab (14%) and 4 patients (29%) on rituximab experienced significant relapse during the follow-up. The difference in relapse-free survival was not significant in patients on tocilizumab (10.8 ± 4 months) compared with rituximab (17.88 ± 3.66).

Conclusion

We showed a significant improvement in the CAS, visual acuity, diplopia, and proptosis with both tocilizumab and rituximab.

KEYWORDS:

• Tocilizumab
• rituximab
• Graves’s orbitopathy
• outcome

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.