New treatment possibilities in rheumatoid arthritis.
It is very difficult to predict future treatment modalities especially in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with unknown etiology and pathogenesis. In the near future, traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) alone, in combination with each other, or together with cyclosporine, FK506, Rapamycin, or Leflunomide, will probably be the main treatment for RA. Currently biological anti-TNFalpha agents like humanized MAb and recombinant TNF-receptor constructs are now launched in the market. This therapy alone, or in combination with methotrexate is very effective in RA patients. There are, however, concerns over increase in serious infections. Autologous stem cell transplantation will probably be used in certain patient with serious autoimmune diseases.
Førre
O
O
Center for Rheumatic Diseases, The National Hospital, Oslo, Norway. o.t.forre@klinmed.uio.no
Haugen
M
M
Hassfeld
W G
WG
D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D006680:HLA Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell