Specific drugs for a complex disease: can there be a magic bullet against rheumatoid arthritis?
The complexity of RA challenges our search for a better understanding of the interconnected networks. Early treatment will certainly avoid some of the problems presented by the complexity of the disease, and combined treatments seem advantageous for advanced disease. The complexity of overt RA will probably not allow a single agent to exert superior efficacy. Unless a treatable infectious cause is identified, a magic bullet, though theoretically possible, might not exist in reality, in particular if the disease is advanced.
Barthel
H R
HR
Department of Medicine III, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité University Hospital, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany.
Burmester
G R
GR
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D016207:Cytokines