ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 0737

Effectiveness and Safety of Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Giant Cell Arteritis. Real-World Clinical Practice Study and Literature Review

Ana Serrano-Combarro1, Fernando Lopez Gutierrez2, Javier Loricera3, toluwalase Tofade4, Diana Prieto-Peña5, Susana Romero-Yuste6, Eugenio de Miguel7, Anne Riveros frutos8, DALIFER FREITES9, Ivan Ferraz Amaro10, Santos Castañeda11, Eztizen Labrador-Sanchez12, Olga Maiz13, Elena Becerra-Fernández14, Javier Narváez15, Eva Galíndez Agirregoikoa16, Ismael González17, Ana Urruticoechea-Arana18, Angel Ramos Calvo19, Patricia Moya Albarado20, Sebastian H Unizony21 and Ricardo Blanco22, 1Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario Marques de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Inmunopathology group, Santander, Santander, Spain, 2Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Immunopathology Group -IDIVAL, Reumatología, Santander, Santander, Spain, 3Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Immunopathology Group, Santander , Spain, Santander, Spain, 4Massachussetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 5Division of Rheumatology, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Immunopathology Group, Santander, Spain., Santander, Spain, 6University Hospital Complex of Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain, 7Hospital Universitario La Paz, Madrid, Spain, 8Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Barcelona, Spain, 9Rheumatology Service, San Carlos Clinical Hospital, Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 10Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain, 11Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, IIS-Princesa, Madrid, Madrid, Spain, 12Hospital Universitario San Pedro, Laguardia, Spain, 13Hospital Universitario de Donostia, San Sebastián, Pais Vasco, Spain, 14Hospital Universitario de Elda, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain, 15Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain, 16BASURTO UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, BILBAO, Spain, 17Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, León, Castilla y Leon, Spain, 18Hospital Son Espases, Palma de Mallorca, Islas Baleares, Spain, 19Complejo Hospitalario de Soria, Soria, Castilla y Leon, Spain, 20Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain, 21Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 22Rheumatology Division, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, IDIVAL, Immunopathology Group, Santander, Spain, Santander, Cantabria, Spain

Meeting: ACR Convergence 2025

Keywords:

Session Information

Date: Sunday, October 26, 2025

Title: (0731–0764) Vasculitis – Non-ANCA-Associated & Related Disorders Poster I

Session Type: Poster Session A

Session Time: 10:30AM-12:30PM

Background/Purpose: Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) can relapse despite glucocorticoids, methotrexate and tocilizumab treatment. The JAK/STAT signalling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of GCA, and JAK inhibitors (JAKi) are a potential treatment alternative. Our Objective was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of JAKi in GCA.

Methods: Real-world, retrospective clinical practice study of patients with GCA treated with JAKi. Outcomes assessed included clinical remission and EULAR remission (clinical remission+CRP and ESR normalization), disease relapse and safety. A literature search for other JAKi-treated GCA cases was conducted in PubMed from inception to 11/30/2024.

Results: We include 40 patients (35 females/87.5%), mean age, 72.2 years, relapsing disease 40 (100%) that received JAKi. The initial JAKi was baricitinib (n=15), tofacitinib (n=10) and upadacitinib (n=15) (Table and Figure). After a mean±SD follow-up of 12.4±6.8 months, 24 (60%) achieved a maintained remission, and 16 (40%) patients discontinued the initial JAKi due to relapse (n=12, 30%) or severe adverse events (SAEs) (n=4, 10%) including elevation of liver enzymes (n=1), disseminated herpes zoster (n=1), glioblastoma multiforme (n=1), and palpitations/dyspnea (n=1). Two patients developed an urinary tract infection and one patient anemia without requiring permanent JAKi discontinuation. The 12 patients failing the initial JAKi were switched to an alternative JAKi (n=2), biologic therapy (n=8) and azathioprine (n=1). One patient discontinued JAKi therapy due to sustained remission.The literature review identified another 37 GCA patients (26 females, mean age 71.4 years) treated with JAKi, mostly with baricitinib (n=35). Most of these patients benefited from JAKi therapy (Table). With respect to relevant adverse events, one patient suffered an Aspergillus fumigatus infection, other patient an Enterococcus faecalis bacteremia, and other thrombocytopenia (Table).

Conclusion: This real-world analysis suggests that JAKi could be effective and relatively safe in GCA, including patients failing to other immunosuppressive therapies.References1. Calderón-Goercke M, et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2023 Apr;41(4):829-836. doi: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/oqs8u92. Loricera J et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2014 May-Jun;32(3 Suppl 82):S79-89. Epub 2014 May 15. PMID: 24854377.3. Prieto Peña D, et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2021 Mar-Apr;39 Suppl 129(2):69-754. Loricera J, et al. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis. 2022 Jul 22;14:1759720X221113747. doi: 10.1177/1759720X221113747

Supporting image 1TABLE. Current series and literature review of patients with GCA treated with JAKi.

Supporting image 2FIGURE. Flow chart of the 40 GCA patients treated with JAKi.

Disclosures: A. Serrano-Combarro: None; F. Lopez Gutierrez: Roche, Galápagos, Novartis, UCB Pharma, MSD, Celgene, Astra Zeneca, Grünenthal, Janssen, Abbvie, Lilly, Pfizer, 12, support for attending meetings and/or travel; J. Loricera: AbbVie/Abbott, 5, AstraZeneca, 2, 5, 6, Celgene, 2, 5, 6, Eli Lilly, 5, Janssen, 5, Merck/MSD, 2, 5, 6, Novartis, 2, 5, 6, Pfizer, 5, Roche, 2, 5, 6, UCB, 2, 5, 6; t. Tofade: None; D. Prieto-Peña: None; S. Romero-Yuste: AbbVie, 2, 6, AstraZeneca, 2, 6, Eli Lilly & Co., 2, 6, Galapagos, 6, UCB, 2; E. de Miguel: AbbVie, 1, 5, 6, BMS, 6, Eli Lilly, 1, 6, Grunenthal, 6, Janssen, 1, 6, MSD, 6, Novartis, 1, 5, 6, Pfizer, 1, 5, 6, Roche, 5, 6, Sanofi, 6, UCB, 6; A. Riveros frutos: None; D. FREITES: None; I. Ferraz Amaro: None; S. Castañeda: None; E. Labrador-Sanchez: None; O. Maiz: None; E. Becerra-Fernández: None; J. Narváez: None; E. Galíndez Agirregoikoa: None; I. González: None; A. Urruticoechea-Arana: None; A. Ramos Calvo: None; P. Moya Albarado: None; S. Unizony: Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, 2, IQVIA, 2, Sanofi, 2; R. Blanco: AbbVie/Abbott, 2, 5, 6, Bristol-Myers Squibb(BMS), 2, 6, Eli Lilly, 2, 6, Janssen, 2, 6, Merck/MSD, 2, 5, 6, Pfizer, 2, 6, Roche, 2, 5, 6.

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Serrano-Combarro A, Lopez Gutierrez F, Loricera J, Tofade t, Prieto-Peña D, Romero-Yuste S, de Miguel E, Riveros frutos A, FREITES D, Ferraz Amaro I, Castañeda S, Labrador-Sanchez E, Maiz O, Becerra-Fernández E, Narváez J, Galíndez Agirregoikoa E, González I, Urruticoechea-Arana A, Ramos Calvo A, Moya Albarado P, Unizony S, Blanco R. Effectiveness and Safety of Janus Kinase Inhibitors in Giant Cell Arteritis. Real-World Clinical Practice Study and Literature Review [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2025; 77 (suppl 9). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/effectiveness-and-safety-of-janus-kinase-inhibitors-in-giant-cell-arteritis-real-world-clinical-practice-study-and-literature-review/. Accessed .

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