title: [Rheumatoid arthritis: current status of therapy].
abstract: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a frequent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by distal, bilateral and symmetrical lesions, leading to joint distortions and articular destructions. RA can also cause severe extra-articular manifestations associated with a poor prognosis. Recent advances in the field of immunopathology of RA have oriented treatment targeting the pro-inflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha), interleukin (IL) and IL6. These biotherapies are considered as an important therapeutic progress in the treatment of RA acting at the level of cellular processes responsible for rheumatoid disease. These new therapies are active not only in controlling the disease inflammatory processes but also to stop the radiological course of RA. These new therapies are however efficient as long as prescribed, their interruption being rapidly followed by a flare-up of RA. Multiple adverse events attributed to anti-TNF-alpha have been described especially severe opportunistic infections and tuberculosis. B cells playing a critical role in sustaining the chronic inflammatory process in RA, targeted depleting B cells therapies have been developed in refractory forms of RA giving promising results. However, before any biotherapy prescription especially of anti-TNF-alpha, an initial screening should be achieved to exclude patients with history of untreated tuberculosis, solid cancers, malignant hemopathies or demyelinating disorders. It is also essential to assure a strict follow-up in patients under biotherapy to detect adverse events that can be sometimes severe. Thus, the ratio benefit/risk must be evaluated before any biotherapy prescription.
authors.affiliation: Service de Rhumatologie, Hôpital La Rabta, Tunis, Tunisie.
authors.forename: Dalila Mrabet
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: El Bahri
authors.forename: Nihel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Meddeb
authors.forename: Slaheddine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sellami
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001691:Biological Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000068800:Etanercept; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000069285:Infliximab; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D025242:Spondylarthropathies / Q000188:drug therapy; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D053590:Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein; D007375:Interleukin-1; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000069285:Infliximab; D000068879:Adalimumab; D000068800:Etanercept