Subcutaneous Tocilizumab in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Associated Uveitis

ABSTRACT

Aim

To describe the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous tocilizumab (SC-TCZ) in a cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients with refractory uveitis.

Methods

Retrospective observational monocentric study including patients with JIA-associated uveitis treated with SC-TCZ.

Results

Thirteen patients were enrolled. The rate of uveitis flare/year per each patient was 1.6 ± 2.0 on the last bDMARDs before SC-TCZ, while it decreased to 0.4 ± 0.7 on SC-TCZ. Nine out of thirteen patients (69%) required the introduction of SC-TCZ only for active uveitis at baseline. Among these patients, five (56%) achieved complete treatment response. No uveitis relapses were observed in patients (4/13, 31%) requiring the introduction of SC-TCZ for active arthritis during follow-up (30.48 ± 21.6 months). Overall, SC-TCZ was safe, and no side effects were observed during the treatment.

Conclusion

SC-TCZ can be effective and safe in patients with JIA and uveitis recalcitrant to several bDMARDs.

KEYWORDS:

• Arthritis
• bDMARDs
• pediatric uveitis
• tocilizumab
• uveitis

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, EM, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.