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When patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) have recurrent symptoms repeatedly during tapering of steroids, rheumatologists sometimes add agents such as methotrexate to decrease cumulative steroid exposure. Sarilumab (Kevzara; an interleukin-6 receptor antagonist) recently was FDA-approved in the U.S. for this purpose, based on results of this clinical trial.
Researchers identified 118 patients with PMR who had received at least 8 weeks of prednisone (≥10 mg daily) during their treatment course and had at least one symptom flare while taking ≥7.5 mg daily. Patients were randomized to receive either (1) sarilumab, injected twice monthly for 1 year, while tapering prednisone over 14 weeks, or (2) placebo, while tapering prednisone over 1 y…