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Efficacy of tocilizumab highlighted by FDG-PET/CT in a patient with relapsing polychondritis-associated aortitis

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Abstract

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare systemic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the ears, nose and tracheobronchial tree cartilage, but also the cardiovascular system. Cardiovascular complications are the second cause of mortality in RP. We report the case of a woman with a corticosteroid-resistant RP-associated aortitis, who was successfully treated with tocilizumab (TCZ). The FDG-PET/CT was a useful tool for diagnosing aortitis and assessing the effect of biotherapy. We conducted a systematic literature review confirming this is the first case of rapid and sustained remission in a patient with corticosteroid-resistant RP-associated aortitis after TCZ treatment administered as a first-line immunotherapy. However, further studies are needed to confirm the beneficial effect of TCZ used in this life-threatening condition.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Jonathan London (Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Cochin, Université Paris-5, Paris, France) for his critical review of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Assistance Publique- Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Hôpital Avicenne, Service de Médecine Interne, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine SMBH, 125 Route de Stalingrad, 93009, Bobigny Cedex 9, France

    Ghassan Elourimi, Ursula Warzocha, Hélène Bugaud, Robin Dhôte & Sébastien Abad

  2. AP-HP, Hôpital Avicenne, Service de Médecine Nucléaire, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Faculté de Médecine SMBH, Bobigny, France

    Michael Soussan

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  1. Ghassan Elourimi
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Correspondence to Sébastien Abad.

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Elourimi, G., Soussan, M., Warzocha, U. et al. Efficacy of tocilizumab highlighted by FDG-PET/CT in a patient with relapsing polychondritis-associated aortitis. Rheumatol Int 37, 1931–1935 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-017-3832-0

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