Methotrexate as Remission Maintenance Therapy After Remission-Induction With Tocilizumab and Glucocorticoids in Giant Cell Arteritis

Inclusion Criteria

• •Subjects male or female, aged ≥18 years
• •Written informed consent of the capable subject for voluntary participation in the study.
• •Diagnosis of GCA as confirmed by the investigator fulfilment (also in retrospect) of the proposed extended 1990 classification criteria for GCA .
• •Previous treatment with glucocorticoids and tocilizumab for new or relapsing GCA
• •GCA patients who have been treated with tocilizumab and in whom discontinuation of tocilizumab therapy has been decided by the treating rheumatologist, within standard treatment at the department of rheumatology are eligible.
• •total tocilizumab therapy should have been at least 6 months before inclusion.
• •Patients should be in stable remission (defined as the absence of signs or symptoms of GCA and normal C-Reactive Protein (\<1mg/dl), off glucocorticoids for at least 1 months at screening.
• •Willing and able to inject methotrexate or placebo subcutaneously at randomization
• •Male and female subjects agreeing to conduct efficient contraception (unless they have no childbearing potential)