Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis

Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor licensed for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report a case of Tocilizumab monotherapy for severe active RA in a patient with coexisting ulcerative colitis (UC). The patient was intolerant to multiple disease-modifying drugs, so Toci...

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Main Authors: Matthew Chak Hin Szeto, Metin Devrim Yalçın, Abdul Khan, Andrzej Piotrowicz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Immunology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/7562123
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author Matthew Chak Hin Szeto
Metin Devrim Yalçın
Abdul Khan
Andrzej Piotrowicz
author_facet Matthew Chak Hin Szeto
Metin Devrim Yalçın
Abdul Khan
Andrzej Piotrowicz
author_sort Matthew Chak Hin Szeto
collection DOAJ
description Tocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor licensed for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report a case of Tocilizumab monotherapy for severe active RA in a patient with coexisting ulcerative colitis (UC). The patient was intolerant to multiple disease-modifying drugs, so Tocilizumab monotherapy was commenced. We found clinical improvement in both RA and UC. There was no major adverse event after 2 years. Manufacturer advised caution in using Tocilizumab in patient with gastrointestinal ulceration due to an increased risk of bowel perforation. However, alternative treatments such as glucocorticoid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may carry a higher bowel perforation risk. The presence of gastrointestinal ulceration therefore should not constitute an absolute contraindication for Tocilizumab therapy. Future studies of registry data will inform clinician of the Tocilizumab-related risk of gastrointestinal toxicity in “real-life” settings. Contrary to previous case report, we found Tocilizumab therapy to have a positive effect on UC. Laboratory studies supported a role for interleukin-6 in the pathophysiology of UC. Further clinical trial to evaluate the therapeutic role of Tocilizumab in UC would be warranted.
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spelling doaj-art-801333be3abb4db5bf056bf344cc98402025-08-20T02:08:38ZengWileyCase Reports in Immunology2090-66092090-66172016-01-01201610.1155/2016/75621237562123Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative ColitisMatthew Chak Hin Szeto0Metin Devrim Yalçın1Abdul Khan2Andrzej Piotrowicz3Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, UKQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, UKQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, UKQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, UKTocilizumab is an interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor licensed for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report a case of Tocilizumab monotherapy for severe active RA in a patient with coexisting ulcerative colitis (UC). The patient was intolerant to multiple disease-modifying drugs, so Tocilizumab monotherapy was commenced. We found clinical improvement in both RA and UC. There was no major adverse event after 2 years. Manufacturer advised caution in using Tocilizumab in patient with gastrointestinal ulceration due to an increased risk of bowel perforation. However, alternative treatments such as glucocorticoid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may carry a higher bowel perforation risk. The presence of gastrointestinal ulceration therefore should not constitute an absolute contraindication for Tocilizumab therapy. Future studies of registry data will inform clinician of the Tocilizumab-related risk of gastrointestinal toxicity in “real-life” settings. Contrary to previous case report, we found Tocilizumab therapy to have a positive effect on UC. Laboratory studies supported a role for interleukin-6 in the pathophysiology of UC. Further clinical trial to evaluate the therapeutic role of Tocilizumab in UC would be warranted.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/7562123
spellingShingle Matthew Chak Hin Szeto
Metin Devrim Yalçın
Abdul Khan
Andrzej Piotrowicz
Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
Case Reports in Immunology
title Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
title_full Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
title_fullStr Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
title_full_unstemmed Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
title_short Successful Use of Tocilizumab in a Patient with Coexisting Rheumatoid Arthritis and Ulcerative Colitis
title_sort successful use of tocilizumab in a patient with coexisting rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/7562123
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AT metindevrimyalcın successfuluseoftocilizumabinapatientwithcoexistingrheumatoidarthritisandulcerativecolitis
AT abdulkhan successfuluseoftocilizumabinapatientwithcoexistingrheumatoidarthritisandulcerativecolitis
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