New drug therapies of rheumatoid arthritis

In all three main groups of drugs used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, the nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs (NSAR), the glucocorticosteroids and the disease modifying drugs (DMARD), new developments have improved the treatment of this most frequent inflammatory rheumatic disease. A new generation of NSAR are the selective COX 2-inhibitors which reduce side effects of this group of medicaments dramatically with respect especially of their ulcerogenic potency. New research results of long-term treatment with low-dose glucocorticosteroids show not only symptomatic but also significant effects of retardation of radiographically detectable erosions in rheumatoid arthritis comparable with effects of DMARD. In the field of DMARD the new drug leflunomid seems to be of equal potency as the well known methotrexate and widens the spectrum of effective DMARD. The development of cytokine antagonists in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is a revolutionary event. Two TNF alpha -blocker ore used in the moment but further substances of this class of drugs are tested in clinical trials or ore near registration now, inducing further improvement of treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.