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Background Tocilizumab (TCZ) has been approved for the treatment of Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA). It showed to be effective to induce remission, prevent relapses and decrease the cumulative prednisone dose. However, the glucocorticoids are the mainstay in the acute treatment of GCA. Objectives Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of the initial dose of prednisone at the onset of TCZ treatment. Methods Retrospective, multicenter study on 134 patients with GCA in treatment with TCZ. We compared two subgroups of patients according to the initial dose of prednisone at TCZ onset. Clinical efficacy, analytical improvement and safety was studied. Results We studied 134 patients (101 w/33 m) and made a comparative study between 2 groups: a) TCZ and ≤ 15 mg of prednisone; 68 (50.7%) cases, and b) TCZ and > 15 mg of prednisone, 66 (49,3%) patients. It is summarized in TABLE 1. It was no statistical significance according to age, sex and evolution time of disease. In the group receiving > 15 mg of prednisone, the patients presented more visual involvement (p 15 mg of prednisone (p=0.001 and p=0.006, respectively). TABLE 2 summarizes the infections of our patients. Conclusion According with our results, we can conclude that TCZ is equally effective; in terms of prolonged remission and relapses, with doses ≤ 15 mg of prednisone at treatment onset. Being the most important data, the higher risk to develop adverse effects, as well as infections with higher doses of prednisone. References [1] Proven A. Glucocorticoid therapy in giant cell arteritis: duration and adverse outcomes. Arthritis Rheum. 2003; 49:703-8. [2] Calderon-Goercke M. Tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis. Observational, open-label multicenter study of 134 patients in clinical practice. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019 Jan 5. pii: S0049-0172(18)30571-7. doi: 10.1016/j.semarthrit.2019.01.003. [Epub ahead of print] Disclosure of Interests Monica Calderon-Goercke: None declared, J. Loricera: None declared, D. Prieto-Pena: None declared, Vicente Aldasoro: None declared, Santos Castaneda Consultant for: Amgen, BMS, Pfizer, Lilly, MSD, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, Ignacio Villa-Blanco: None declared, Alicia Humbria: None declared, Clara Moriano: None declared, Susana Romero-Yuste: None declared, J. Narvaez Consultant for: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Catalina Gomez-Arango: None declared, Eva Perez-Pampin: None declared, Rafael Melero: None declared, Elena Becerra-Fernandez: None declared, Marcelino Revenga: None declared, Noelia Alvarez-Rivas: None declared, Carles Galisteo: None declared, Francisca Sivera: None declared, Alejandro Olive: None declared, Maria Alvarez del Buergo: None declared, Luisa Marena Rojas: None declared, Carlos Fernandez-Lopez: None declared, Francisco Navarro: None declared, Enrique Raya: None declared, Eva Galindez: None declared, Beatriz Arca: None declared, Roser Solans-Laque: None declared, Arantxa Conesa: None declared, Cristina Hidalgo: None declared, Carlos Vazquez: None declared, Jose Andres Roman-Ivorra: None declared, Pau Lluch: None declared, Sara Manrique Arija Speakers bureau: ABBvie, MSD, Janssen, Lillly, Roche, Pfyzer, Novartis., Paloma Vela-Casasempere Grant/research support from: UCB, Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myer-Squibb (another research, not BIOBADASER related), Consultant for: UCB, Lilly, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myer-Squibb, Speakers bureau: Roche, UCB, MSD, Pfizer, GSK, BMS, Lilly, Eugenio de Miguel: None declared, Carmen Torres-Martin: None declared, Juan Carlos Nieto: None declared, Carmen Ordas-Calvo: None declared, Eva Salgado-Perez: None declared, Cristina Luna-Gomez: None declared, Francisco J. Toyos Saenz de Miera: None declared, Nagore Fernandez-Llanio: None declared, Antonio Garcia: None declared, Carmen Larena: None declared, Natalia Palmou-Fontana: None declared, Vanesa Calvo-Rio: None declared, Carmen Gonzalez-Vela: None declared, Alfonso Corrales: None declared, Maria Varela-Garcia: None declared, Elena Aurrecoechea: None declared, Raquel Dos-Santos: None declared, Angel Garcia-Manzanares: None declared, Norberto Ortego: None declared, Sabela Fernandez: None declared, Francisco Ortiz-Sanjuan: None declared, Montserrat Corteguera: None declared, J. Luis Hernandez: None declared, Miguel A Gonzalez-Gay Grant/research support from: Prof. MA Gonzalez-Gay received grants/research supports from Abbvie, MSD, Jansen and Roche., Speakers bureau: Consultation fees/participation in company sponsored speaker’s bureau from Pfizer, Lilly, Sobi, Celgene, Novartis, Roche and Sanofi., Ricardo Blanco Grant/research support from: Abbvie, MSD, and Roche, Consultant for: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen

Background Aortitis can be idiopathic or associated with other conditions. It is frequently refractory to conventional immunosuppressive therapy. Tocilizumab (TCZ), an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody seems to be effective and safe. Objectives Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of TCZ at short and long follow-up in a series of patients with Aortitis. Methods Retrospective, multicenter study of 79 patients diagnosed of inflammatory aortitis based on imaging techniques (PET/CT, CT angiography and/or MR angiography). Results We study 79 patients (61 w/ 18 m). 59 (74.7%) cases were Aortitis secondary to Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA), while 20 (25.3%) were idiopathic. The mean age was 71±8.5 years vs 64.2±7.1 years, respectively (p=0.001). At time of disease diagnosis more than a half of patients (59.5%) presented as main symptom polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Aortitis was diagnosed with PET/CT (71 patients), angioRMN (12 patients) and angioCT (8 patients). Prior to TCZ treatment, 61 (77.2%) patients had received conventional immunosuppressive drugs, 59 (74.7%) of them received MTX. After 24 months of treatment with TCZ, more than 75% of patients reached a prolonged remission in both groups (p=0.527), with only 4% of relapses after the same follow-up period (p=1.000). 40 (50.6%) patients had a control image technique (PET/CT) throughout follow up. 4 (3 secondary to GCA and 1 idiopathic) patients reached a complete improvement in uptake after one year of treatment. Conclusion Our results show that idiopathic aortitis occurs in younger patients compared with aortitis secondary to GCA. TCZ proved to be effective in both pathologies, allowing clinical and analytical improvement, as well as a reduction of corticoid dose, without increasing the risk of relapse. However, the improvement in imaging techniques seems to be slower. Reference [1] Loricera J, Blanco R, Castaneda S, Humbria A, Ortego-Centeno N, Narvaez J, et al. Tocilizumab in refractory aortitis: study on 16 patients and literature review. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014; 32:79-89. Disclosure of Interests Monica Calderon-Goercke: None declared, J. Loricera: None declared, D. Prieto-Pena: None declared, Vicente Aldasoro: None declared, Santos Castaneda Consultant for: Amgen, BMS, Pfizer, Lilly, MSD, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, Ignacio Villa-Blanco: None declared, Alicia Humbria: None declared, Clara Moriano: None declared, Susana Romero-Yuste: None declared, J. Narvaez Consultant for: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Catalina Gomez-Arango: None declared, Eva Perez-Pampin: None declared, Rafael Melero: None declared, Marcelino Revenga: None declared, Noelia Alvarez-Rivas: None declared, Francisca Sivera: None declared, Maria Alvarez del Buergo: None declared, Luisa Marena Rojas: None declared, Eva Galindez: None declared, Beatriz Arca: None declared, Roser Solans-Laque: None declared, Carlos Vazquez: None declared, Pau Lluch: None declared, Eva Salgado-Perez: None declared, Cristina Luna-Gomez: None declared, Francisco J. Toyos Saenz de Miera: None declared, Nagore Fernandez-Llanio: None declared, Antonio Garcia: None declared, Carmen Larena: None declared, Natalia Palmou-Fontana: None declared, Vanesa Calvo-Rio: None declared, Carmen Gonzalez-Vela: None declared, Alfonso Corrales: None declared, Maria Varela-Garcia: None declared, Elena Aurrecoechea: None declared, Raquel Dos-Santos: None declared, Jose Luis Martin-Varillas: None declared, Sabela Fernandez: None declared, J. Luis Hernandez: None declared, Miguel A Gonzalez-Gay Grant/research support from: Prof. MA Gonzalez-Gay received grants/research supports from Abbvie, MSD, Jansen and Roche., Speakers bureau: Consultation fees/participation in company sponsored speaker’s bureau from Pfizer, Lilly, Sobi, Celgene, Novartis, Roche and Sanofi., Ricardo Blanco Grant/research support from: Abbvie, MSD, and Roche, Consultant for: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, Bristol-Myers, Janssen