Table 1 Detail characteristics of studies included
Authors | Year | IL-6 inhibitors used | Type of study | Regions/Countries | Sample Size | Follow-up | Sex (Female/Male) | Mean age/Range | Mean disease Duration | AQP-4 ab positive | Dose of drugs used | Add on drugs/Previously used drugs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ayzenberg | 2013 | Tocilizumab | Retrospective study | Germany | 3 | 18 months | 3/0 | 39 years (26–40 years) | 8.2 years (2.5–9.4 years) | 3 (100%) | 6 mg/kg every 6 weeks in patients 1 and 2 and every 4 weeks in patient 3 | interferon beta-1a and 1b (n = 2), glatiramer acetate (n = 1), azathioprine (n = 1), and mitoxantrone hydrochloride (n = 1). Rituximab |
Araki | 2014 | Tocilizumab | Pilot study | Japan | 7 | 12 months | 6/1 | 12–60 years | NA | 7 (100%) | A monthly dose (8 mg/kg) | oral prednisolone, (PSL) and immunosuppressants, including azathioprine |
Ringelstein | 2015 | Tocilizumab | Retrospective Study | Germany | 8 | 30.9 + −15.9 months | 8/0 | 29.4 years (25–49 years) | 7.9 + −7.7 | 8 (100%) | 4 of 8 patients at a reduced dosage of 6 mg/kg in 4-week to 6-week intervals, for the other 4 patients dosage of 8 mg/kg at regular 4-week intervals. | immunosuppressant medications, including interferon beta-1b (n = 3), interferon beta-1a (n = 2), azathioprine (n = 2), mitoxantrone (n = 2), mycophenolate mofetil (n = 1), natalizumab (n = 1), glatiramer acetate (n = 1), alemtuzumab (n = 1), and monthly intravenous corticosteroids |
Guarnizo | 2018 | Tocilizumab | Retrospective Study | Spain | 5 | NA | 3/2 | 50 + −5.3 years | 2.3 years | 2 (40%) | 8 mg/kg body weight every 4 weeks | Immunosuppressants like rituximab(n = 5), cyclophosphamide(n = 2) and azathioprine (1) |
Lotan | 2019 | Tocilizumab | Retrospective study | USA | 12 | 31.8 + − 18.8 months | 11/1 | 46.9 + − 14.5 (26–68) years | 6.8 + − 4.6 years | 7 (58.3%) | subcutaneous dose of 162 mg every 1–2 weeks | Corticosteroids, mycophenolate mofetil, intravenous immunoglobulins |
Rigal | 2020 | Tocilizumab | Retrospective study | France | 4 | 23 months | 4/0 | 35.75 years (20–63 years) | 7.85 (2–15 years) | 4 (100%) | 8 mg/kg for monthly intravenous cycles and 162 mg weekly for subcutaneous injections | MMF, Rituximab, Azathioprine |
Zhang | 2020 | Tocilizumab | Randomized Controlled Trial | 6 centers in China | 59 | 60 weeks | 55/4 | 48.1 + −13.4 years | 6 + −2.9 years | 50 (85%) | intravenous tocilizumab 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks. | Azathioprine (AZA) in placebo group |
Yamamura | 2019 | Satralizumab | Randomized Controlled Trial | 34 centers in 11 countries | 41 | NA | 37/4 | 40.8 + −16.1 years (13–73 years) | NA | 27 (66%) | dose of 120 mg administered subcutaneously at weeks 0, 2, and 4 and every 4 weeks | AZA, mycophenolate mofetil, glucocorticoids in both groups. |
Traboulsee | 2020 | Satralizumab | Randomized Controlled Trial | 44 centers in 13 countries | 63 | NA | 46/17 | 45.3 ± 12.0 (21–70 years) | NA | 41 (65%) | 120 mg subcutaneously at weeks 0, 2, 4, and every 4 weeks | None |