ADVANCES IN BIOLOGICS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS Medscape

Description: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease characterized predominantly by a chronic inflammatory polyarthritis, with frequent progression to joint destruction and disability. The clinical picture seen in RA is the result of a complex cascade involving T cells, B cells, antigen-presenting cells, and a complex set of costimulation signals that lead to the production of proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukins, and other mediators. With the knowledge that RA is initiated by immune mechanisms, therapy has evolved from an eminently immunosuppressive approach to a more targeted approach. Consequently, over the past decade, several biologic therapeutic agents have emerged that target different areas of the inflammatory cascade, and afford clinicians the opportunity to use mechanistic evidence-based strategies to individualized therapy.