title: [Diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis today is still not curable but satisfactory treatable. Treatment targets include clinical remission (or at least low disease activity), lack of radiological destructions and functional disability as well as acceptable life quality and unimpaired working ability. Diagnosing and adequately treating the disease as early as possible is essential for a favourable long-term outcome. Treatment to target with validation and if necessary modification at least every three months until target is achieved ensures good results. Predominantly treatment starts with a combination of methotrexate and glucocorticoids followed by a conventional DMARD combination and then addition of a biologic DMARD in case of failing target. Presence of adverse risk factors and/or high disease activity a cDMARD/bDMARD combination might be used already after starting treatment failure. Additional treatment options such as physiotherapy should be added. Altogether with current treatment possibilities burden of disease declined dramatically in recent years.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatologisches Praxiszentrum München.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krüger
mesh_terms: D000068879:Adalimumab; D000328:Adult; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001688:Biological Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017281:Cost of Illness; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D011239:Prednisolone; D000068879:Adalimumab; D008727:Methotrexate