I had been on prednisone for 3 years without those lab changes and they occurred after I started the Kevzara. I watch my labs carefully. The cholesterol dropped 40 points 6 weeks after I quit the Kevzara but has not yet gone all the way back down to where it was. White cells and neutrophils were never abnormal on prednisone until I started Kevzara. They have not gone back up yet but I'm hopeful they will be back up at my next lab draw. I know that there is a lot of hopefulness about the biologics, that they will be game changers for PMR and GCA, but they are just another drug option with their own side effects and different results with different people. There is no free lunch when it comes to drugs!

Exactly ... people love to blame one thing and not hold something else accountable. More often than not it is a combination of things that have a cumulative effect. It isn't usually one medication and not the other.

PMR contributes to the cumulative effects because it involves lifestyle changes. Diet, exercise, and the stress of being unwell all contribute to the adverse effects that we experience.

Plus, we all have different responses to medications. I'm on Actemra and my cholesterol level decreased especially after stopping Prednisone. I had to stop my statin because my cholesterol level was getting too low. When the statin was stopped my cholesterol level increased again. Now I'm on a lower dose of "weaker cholesterol medication" called Ezetimibe (Zetia) that works differently when compared to statins.
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/zetia-statin-3554184/
Some far on Zetia my cholesterol level is neither too high or too low. and is just right. My endocrinologist recommended Zetia.