Tocilizumab in Behçet Disease: A Multicenter Study of 30 Patients

Abstract

Objective. To evaluate tocilizumab (TCZ) efficacy in patients with refractory Behçet disease (BD). Methods. This is a multicenter study of 30 patients fulfilling the international criteria for BD and treated with TCZ at different European referral centers. The clinical response was evaluated at 6 months from TCZ initiation. Results. Ninety percent of patients with BD were refractory or intolerant to anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents. Overall, TCZ was effective in 25 (83%) patients with BD of whom 18 (60%) and 7 (23%) were complete and partial responders, respectively. The complete response was 67%, 60%, and 42% in patients with uveitis (18/30), neurological manifestations (5/30), and mucocutaneous and/or articular (7/30) manifestations, respectively. TCZ had a significant steroid-sparing effect allowing patients to decrease their median daily prednisone dose from 20 (IQR 10-40) mg/day to 9 (IQR 5-13) mg at 6 months (P < 0.001). The number of patients with BD needing concomitant disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy fell from 7 (23%) to 4 (13%) at 6 months. Mild to moderate side effects were observed in 6 (20%) patients, and 3 (10%) presented with serious adverse events (pneumonia, intestinal perforation, and septicemia) requiring therapy discontinuation in 2 cases. Conclusion. TCZ seems to be an effective alternative to anti-TNF agents in treating BD-related uveitis and neurological manifestations.