Therapeutic options for RA | Arthritis Information

 

Feely MG et al. – A systematic literature review through PubMed reports that progress made in the rheumatoid arthritis therapeutic arena in the last 15 years has been dramatic. Several key points deserve emphasis to optimize treatment:

• Early diagnosis is paramount; early treatment with DMARDs is essential
•  
• Having a treatment goal and escalating therapy to achieve this goal is critical
• Methotrexate is the cornerstone of most current regimens but is not necessary in everyone
•  
• Using combinations of DMARDs, including biologics, is necessary in many patients to achieve treatment goals
•  
• All of the TNF-α inhibitors work better with methotrexate
•  
• So far combinations of biologics therapies have significantly increased side effects

Despite all the progress, many important questions still remain. Trials are needed to include several active therapies that test strategies and are not just head-to-head comparisons that collect biological material in parallel with clinical results and that also collect economic data.

http://www.informapharmascience.com/doi/abs/10.1517/14656560903071043

Lynn492009-07-21 09:35:12A systematic literature review through PubMed reports that progress made in the rheumatoid arthritis therapeutic arena in the last 15 years has been dramatic. Several key points deserve emphasis to optimize treatment:

• Early diagnosis is paramount; early treatment with DMARDs is essential
•  
• Having a treatment goal and escalating therapy to achieve this goal is critical
• Methotrexate is the cornerstone of most current regimens but is not necessary in everyone
•  
• Using combinations of DMARDs, including biologics, is necessary in many patients to achieve treatment goals
•  
• All of the TNF-α inhibitors work better with methotrexate
•  
• So far combinations of biologics therapies have significantly increased side effects

Lynn492009-07-21 09:35:27I VOTE for getting those questions answered now rather than later. There seems to be some 'new' therapies coming down the pike (so to speak). Those options just cannot happen to soon for the many people who suffer the ravages of chronic autoimmune dysfunctions.

NOW, not later!

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