Tocilizumab in German patients with RA: real-world evidence from the noninterventional studies ARATA and ICHIBAN

Noninterventional studies provide real-world data on treatments that complement data from randomised clinical trials. Our review article summarises evidence from the noninterventional studies rheumatoid arthritis in everyday clinical practice (ARATA) and rheumatoid arthritis (ICHIBAN), which investigated the treatment of up to 4464 German patients with active moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the interleukin 6 receptor antagonist tocilizumab in its subcutaneous and intravenous application forms from 2010 to 2020. Subgroup analyses showed that tocilizumab was safe and effective in age, sex, and body mass index subgroups as well as in vulnerable patient populations with cardiovascular disease, renal impairment, and diabetes. Additionally, tocilizumab reduced RA-associated pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance in these patient subgroups.