Reversal of chronic arterial stenosis with biologic therapy including tocilizumab in Takayasu arteritis

Biologic agents have demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of refractory Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Although vascular stenosis is a common manifestation of the chronic phase of TAK, evidence on the effects of biologic therapy on established vascular lesions remains limited. Here, we report a case series of TAK in which chronic arterial stenosis showed marked improvement following treatment with biologic agents. The first case was a 27-year-old woman with stenosis of the left common carotid artery. Initial treatment with prednisolone (PSL) led to clinical improvement; however, the vascular lesion progressed during tapering, despite the normalisation of inflammatory markers. Reinduction with a methylprednisolone pulse and methotrexate led to slight improvement. Subsequent therapy with tocilizumab, followed by golimumab, resulted in significant and sustained improvement in the stenosis. The second case was a 20-year-old woman with wall thickening of the right brachiocephalic artery. Although PSL and methotrexate were initially administered, the progression of left subclavian artery stenosis was detected on ultrasonography before symptom onset, despite normalised inflammatory markers. The introduction of tocilizumab, with increased PSL, led to a notable improvement in the vascular lesions. These cases and a literature review suggest that biologic agents may reverse vascular remodelling in chronic TAK, even in the absence of systemic inflammatory activity. Comprehensive disease assessment using imaging modalities, alongside serum biomarkers, is essential to guide therapeutic decisions and monitor vascular changes. These findings highlight the importance of imaging-based disease monitoring and raise the potential for targeted treatment strategies aimed at both inflammation control and vascular lesion modification.