AB0487 Efficacy of Tocilizumab for Suppressing Radiographic Progression of Cervical Lesions in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Comparison with Infliximab; Two Years of Follow-Up – a Multicenter Registry Study

BackgroundCervical lesions are known to occur at high frequency as a complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Treatment with biological agents are more clinically effective than the DMARDs that were in use previously, in particular, with their efficacy in suppressing joint destruction having been emphasized. We reported the efficacy of infliximab (IFX), anti-tumor necrosis factor antibodies for suppressing the radiographic progression of RA cervical lesions at ACR2009, EULAR2010, 11, 12, 13 and 14. However there is still few studies of efficacy of against RA cervical lesions of Tocilizumab (TCZ), anti-interleukin 6 receptor antibody.ObjectivesTo evaluate the efficacy of TCZ for suppressing the radiographic progression of RA cervical lesions comparison with IFX for 2 years.MethodsWe used TCZ and IFX for treating each 270 and 604 Japanese patients with active RA who fulfilled the ACR criteria in 1987 from Tsurumai Biologics Communication Registry (TBCR). The final study cohort of each 21 and 88 patients received continuous TCZ and IFX treatment for at least 2 years. The TCZ dose was 8 mg/kg. The later doses were administered every 4 weeks up. For evaluation of cervical lesions, the atlanto-dental interval (ADI), the space available for the spinal cord (SAC), and the Ranawat value were measured by plain lateral radiographs in the flexion position, at initiation and Year 1,2.ResultsIn the patients receiving TCZ (n=21) and IFX (n=88), the number of female were each 14 (67%) and 75 (85%) cases (p=0.062). The mean age was 58.3±10.6 and 53.9±12.9 years old (p=0.289); disease duration was 7.3±6.9 and 10.7±9.2 years (p=0.125); the number of biologics naïve patient were 4 (19%) and 85 (97%) cases (p