The role of biological agents in the management of large vessel vasculitis (LVV): a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 12; p. e115026
• Main Authors: Osman, Mohammed, Pagnoux, Christian, Dryden, Donna M, Storie, Dale, Yacyshyn, Elaine
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 17.12.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Arteritis; Arthritis; Biological effects; Biological Factors - adverse effects; Biological Factors - therapeutic use; Biological treatment; Biology and Life Sciences; Biosafety; Care and treatment; Corticoids; Corticosteroid drugs; Corticosteroids; Cytokines; Disease; Drug dosages; Etanercept; Giant Cell Arteritis - drug therapy; Glucocorticoids; Humans; Infliximab; Medical imaging; Medicine and Health Sciences; Meta-analysis; Monoclonal antibodies; Patients; Pediatrics; Physical Sciences; Quality assessment; Reduction; Remission; Research and Analysis Methods; Rheumatic diseases; Rheumatism; Rheumatology; Studies; Systematic review; Takayasu Arteritis - drug therapy; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vasculitis; Vein & artery diseases

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TAA) are large vessel vasculitides (LVV) for which corticosteroids (CS) are the mainstay for treatment. In patients with LVV unable to tolerate CS, biological agents have been used with variable effectiveness. To systematically review the eff...