← Return to Kevzara (sarilumab) to treat PMR

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Kevzara (sarilumab) to treat PMR

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) | Last Active: Aug 24, 2024 | Replies (162)

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@redboat

How is it going with Kevzara?

I am self-injecting weekly with Actemra, which is also a "biologic" with a similar effect - it also an IL-6 inhibitor. Actemra has been very effective in reducing my PMR/GCA symptoms as I taper off Prednisone (now at 7.5 mg/day, down from 60 mg/day, and slowly going lower). The only side effect I have noticed is a slight increase in my ALT liver score, but it is still well within normal range at 20 U/L . Kaiser says anything below 47 U/L is normal. My past scores have been around 13 U/L when I was completely healthy.

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Replies to "How is it going with Kevzara? I am self-injecting weekly with Actemra, which is also a..."

I’m glad you asked and hopefully we will hear good news from the others. I have been paused due to benign hepatic cysts and some new right side abdominal pain. Kevzara can apparently cause them to enlarge—which is dangerous. I hope my sonogram next week will let my endocrinologist know whether or not it is safe to return to Kevzara or if I will have to be taken off the drug. My rheumatologist tells me that if I can’t continue with it we can’t try Actemra either since it is likely to have the same effect. Don’t really have another option so I would would be a very disappointed.