Table 3.

Patient Factors in the High and Low Dose TCZ Treatment Groups

Characteristic, n (%)	Totalc N=111	High Dose TCZa,c N=61	Low dose TCZb,c N=50	P-value
Prior glucocorticoid-sparing agent	36 (32.4)	17 (28)	19 (38)	0.26
Relapses prior to TCZ startd	1.0 [0.0–2.0]	1.0 [0.0–2.0]	0.5 [0.0–2.0]	0.84e
Cranial Symptoms
At GCA diagnosis	87 (78.4)	51 (84)	36 (72)	0.14
At TCZ start	37 (33.3)	22 (36)	15 (30)	0.50
Vision Changes
At GCA diagnosis	46 (41.4)	28 (46)	18 (36)	0.29
At TCZ start	27 (24.3)	15 (25)	12 (24)	0.94
Large Vessel Vasculitis
At GCA diagnosis	50 (45.0)	28 (46)	22 (44)	0.84
At TCZ start	47 (42.3)	25 (41)	22 (44)	0.75
Polymyalgia Rheumatica
At GCA diagnosis	42/110 (38.2)	22 (36)	20/49 (41)	0.61
At TCZ start	17/110 (15.5)	8/60 (13)	9 (18)	0.50
Prednisone f
Dose (mg/d) at TCZ startd	30.0 [15.0–40.0]	30.0 [15.0–40.0]	27.5 [15.0–40.0]	0.32e
Duration (days) prior to TCZd	154.0 [44.5–555.5]	129.0 [39.0–522.0]	229.0 [59.0–665.0]	0.20e
Inflammatory Markers
ESR (mm/hr) TCZ startd,g	16.0 [7.0–27.0]	13.0 [6.0–23.0]	20.0 [8.0–34.5]	0.10e
CRP (mg/L) TCZ startd,h	9.2 [3.0–26.0]	6.4 [3.0–17.5]	14.1 [3.7–27.4]	0.10e

CRP, c-reactive protein; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate; GCA, giant cell arteritis; TCZ, tocilizumab

^aTCZ intravenous 8mg/kg every 4 weeks or subcutaneous 162 mg weekly

^bTCZ intravenous 4mg/kg every 4 weeks or subcutaneous 162 mg every other week

^c3 Patients were excluded if they received non-standard dosing (e.g. 6mg/kg intravenous monthly). If data missing/unavailable, denominator listed if different from listed total

^dmedian [interquartile range]

^eKruskal-Wallis p-value

^fPrednisone values were only available for 108 patients

^gESR values were only available for 94 patients

^hCRP values were only available for 105 patients