Christine Birchwood on the Significance of GiACTA

Furthering her conversation on findings of a trial on tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis, Christine Birchwood says that GiACTA is the first trial to show efficacy in the disease in over 60 years. Previously, sufferers only had high-dose steroids as a treatment option.

Speaking of the many manifestations of the inflammatory disease, which can have impacts on the eye as well as devastating effects on the vascular system, she highlighted the importance of collaboration between across specialties.

"As someone who typically works in the rheumatology space, it's been really exciting to join the ophthalmology folks with something that might be of interest to them," she said.