Treatment efficacy and safety of adalimumab versus tocilizumab in patients with active and severe Takayasu arteritis: an open-label study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (ADA) vs tocilizumab (TCZ) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, open-label study. Forty patients with active and severe TAK were enrolled. They were treated with ADA (n = 21) combined with glucocorticoids (GCs) and MTX or TCZ (n = 19) combined with GCs and MTX. The planned follow-up duration was 12 months. The primary end point was the efficacy rate (ER) at 6 months. The secondary end points included ER at 9 and 12 months, relapse rate, GC tapering, adverse effects, and life quality changes during treatment.

Results: In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, the ER at 6 months was higher in the ADA group (85.71% vs 52.63%, P = 0.02). A similar direction of effect was noted in the per-protocol set (89.47% vs 62.50%, P = 0.06). The percentages of patients who achieved a GC dose of ≤10 mg/day at 6 months were similar between the ADA and TCZ groups (47.37% vs 43.75%, P = 0.83). The ERs at 9 and 12 months were similar between the two groups (P > 0.05). During the first 12 months of treatment, the relapse rate and adverse event incidence were comparable between the two groups (ADA vs TCZ: 9.52% vs 10.53%, P = 0.96; 38.10% vs 47.37%, P = 0.55, respectively).

Conclusion: ADA combined with GCs and MTX may be more efficacious than TCZ combined with GCs and MTX among patients with active and severe TAK.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04300686.

Keywords: Takayasu arteritis; adalimumab; efficacy; safety; tocilizumab.