Nicholas Volpe

Former Executive Vice President & Chief Technology Officer, American

Search every verified Nicholas Volpe interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Nicholas Volpe, a neuro-ophthalmologist and chair of the ophthalmology department at Northwestern University in Chicago, presented a webinar on giant cell arteritis in September 2022. He stated that the incidence of the condition is increasing and that it is "almost exclusively found in northern hemisphere populations of Anglo-Saxon origin." Volpe noted that about 15 to 20 percent of patients with giant cell arteritis have a normal sedimentation rate, and he recommended Doppler ultrasonography as a quick, non-invasive first test after laboratory workup when the condition is suspected. He emphasized that patients should be treated promptly with steroids and hydration if giant cell arteritis is suspected, even before diagnostic confirmation. Volpe discussed the use of tocilizumab, a targeted treatment against IL-6, which he said has been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials to be highly effective as an adjunct treatment. He stated that he is introducing tocilizumab "much sooner" in the treatment of most patients, though he acknowledged different professional recommendations about who should receive it. Volpe also noted that most patients require treatment for up to two years and that there is an increase in fractures and diabetes from steroid treatment. He disclosed receiving equity ownership in a company that works with OCT, but said he would not discuss that in the presentation.