title: Early, aggressive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: concerns, descriptions, and estimate of outcome.
abstract: The past few years have witnessed changing perceptions about rheumatoid arthritis (RA); it is now considered a serious systemic disease that confers not only physical and social morbidity but also earlier mortality. The long-term outcome of sequential monotherapy based on the therapeutic pyramid has been disappointing. A review of prognostic factors, acute disease activity measures, functional measures, and the results of preliminary trials with combination therapy suggests that specific goals of treatment can be established and that logical, aggressive treatment in early disease can be accomplished. These goals should include prompt control and continuous reduction of the active joint count to < or = 4 and normalization of acute-phase reactants. The "graduated-step paradigm" of treatment designed with these goals in mind is described, and a retrospective series that gives an estimate of outcome with its use is reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Disease, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195.
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wilke
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Calabrese
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine; D008727:Methotrexate