title: Biotherapies in large vessel vasculitis.
abstract: The mainstay of therapy of large vessel vasculitides (LVV) remains glucocorticoids (GC). Although most patients initially achieve disease remission, relapses and GC dependence are seen in more than two-thirds of cases. Conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) showed little or no steroid sparing effects, while biological agents represent a valid therapeutic option in patients with severe and/or relapsing LVV.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Viale Risorgimento, 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pazzola
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Viale Risorgimento, 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muratore
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Viale Risorgimento, 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pipitone
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera ASMN, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Viale Risorgimento, 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy. Electronic address: salvarani.carlo@asmn.re.it.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvarani
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001691:Biological Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D013700:Giant Cell Arteritis / Q000628:therapy*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids
keywords: Biological therapies; Biotherapies; Giant cell arteritis; Large vessel vasculitis; Takayasu arteritis