Aortic & peripheral vascular diseaseCohort study
Tocilizumab Is Associated With a Lower Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Giant Cell Arteritis
- Target trial emulation (nationwide observational cohort study)
- clone-censor-weight approach
- inverse probability of censoring weighting
Authors' conclusion
In this nationwide target trial emulation of incident giant cell arteritis, initiation of tocilizumab was associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events compared with methotrexate, primarily through a reduction in coronary events and all-cause deaths.
Study context
- Population
- Patients hospitalized for incident giant cell arteritis, French National Health Data System, 2012–2024
- Participants
- 1,997 patients
- Exposure
- Tocilizumab vs methotrexate
- Tocilizumabn = 1,095
- Methotrexaten = 902reference
- Outcome
- First MACE:
- Any coronary event
- Ischemic stroke
- All-cause death
- Follow-up
- 2 years
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
MACE
Each group vs methotrexateRisk difference (95% CI)
Tocilizumab
−4.3%(−6.6% to −1.7%)
Each group vs methotrexateHazard ratio (95% CI)
Tocilizumab
0.60(0.48–0.75)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
| Outcome | HR (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Coronary events | 0.55 (0.37–0.84) | |
| All-cause death | 0.53 (0.36–0.74) | |
| 0.20.5125Hazard ratio (log scale) |
Sensitivity analyses and negative control outcomes
- Results consistent in sensitivity analyses (alternative grace periods, corticosteroid dose thresholds, 2017–2024 restriction, per-protocol-analogous approach)
- Negative control outcomes did not differ meaningfully between strategies
Original publication
Tocilizumab Is Associated With a Lower Incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Giant Cell Arteritis. Circulation. Published 29 August 2026. doi:10.1161/circulationaha.126.080365
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it