LONGITUDINAL ANALYSIS OF THE EFFICACY OF TOCILIZUMAB IN THE TREATMENT OF REFRACTORY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: RESULTS OF RECENT CLINICAL STUDIES

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that can result in irreversible joint damage, especially in patients with forms refractory to conventional treatment. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits interleukin-6 (IL-6), has shown efficacy in controlling the disease in patients with refractory RA. This study aims to analyze, longitudinally, the results of recent clinical studies on the efficacy of tocilizumab in patients with refractory rheumatoid arthritis. The review included randomized clinical trials and cohort studies that evaluated the clinical response to treatment with tocilizumab, focusing on the improvement of symptoms, joint function, control of inflammatory activity and long-term adverse effects. The results indicate that tocilizumab is effective in reducing disease activity and preventing structural damage, being well tolerated in the long term. However, the persistence of therapeutic effects may vary, depending on the presence of comorbidities and the individual response of patients. This study contributes to the understanding of the impact of tocilizumab in the management of refractory RA and suggests directions for future research in biological treatments for this condition.