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sarilumab Side Effects

Also known as: Kevzara

Analysis of 23,683 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2015 to 2025.

Total Reports

23,683

Death-Related

2,313

9.8% of reports

Hospitalizations

4,047

17.1% of reports

Top Indication

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
5,591
PAIN
5,313
ARTHRALGIA
4,655
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
4,395
JOINT SWELLING
4,362
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
3,580
FATIGUE
3,334
RASH
3,212
ALOPECIA
2,969
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT
2,906
HEPATIC ENZYME INCREASED
2,858
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS
2,780
PEMPHIGUS
2,721
HAND DEFORMITY
2,643
GLOSSODYNIA
2,625
SYNOVITIS
2,621
SWELLING
2,609
PERICARDITIS
2,589
ARTHROPATHY
2,558
INFUSION RELATED REACTION
2,549

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 17,963 (84%)
Male 3,459 (16%)
Unknown 1

Age Distribution

0-17 53 (0%)
18-44 3,620 (23%)
45-64 7,520 (48%)
65-74 2,758 (18%)
75+ 1,631 (10%)

Reporting Trend by Year

15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 2,313 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS 1,016
DUODENAL ULCER PERFORATION 1,014
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT 994
PEMPHIGUS 978
TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS 975
PERICARDITIS 971
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 966
ALOPECIA 950
HAND DEFORMITY 943
BLOOD CHOLESTEROL INCREASED 938
ARTHRALGIA 937
GLOSSODYNIA 929
PSORIATIC ARTHROPATHY 928
HELICOBACTER INFECTION 927
HEPATIC ENZYME INCREASED 914
ARTHROPATHY 913
BLISTER 910
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 909
HYPERTENSION 907
OFF LABEL USE 907

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 4,047 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 1,464
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT 1,402
ALOPECIA 1,321
SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS 1,319
ARTHRALGIA 1,297
HEPATIC ENZYME INCREASED 1,293
DUODENAL ULCER PERFORATION 1,288
FATIGUE 1,263
PERICARDITIS 1,263
HELICOBACTER INFECTION 1,256
PAIN 1,249
PEMPHIGUS 1,242
ARTHROPATHY 1,240
BLISTER 1,221
HAND DEFORMITY 1,213
RASH 1,199
GLOSSODYNIA 1,198
JOINT SWELLING 1,191
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 1,165
SWELLING 1,162

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About sarilumab Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 23,683 voluntary reports linked to sarilumab and its brand equivalents (Kevzara), spanning 2015 through 2025. Of those, 2,313 (9.8%) listed death as an outcome and 4,047 (17.1%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 84% were female and 16% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 7,520 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 5,591 submissions, followed by pain and arthralgia.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.