title: Rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory joint disease, which can cause cartilage and bone damage as well as disability. Early diagnosis is key to optimal therapeutic success, particularly in patients with well-characterised risk factors for poor outcomes such as high disease activity, presence of autoantibodies, and early joint damage. Treatment algorithms involve measuring disease activity with composite indices, applying a treatment-to-target strategy, and use of conventional, biological, and newz non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. After the treatment target of stringent remission (or at least low disease activity) is maintained, dose reduction should be attempted. Although the prospects for most patients are now favourable, many still do not respond to current therapies. Accordingly, new therapies are urgently required. In this Seminar, we describe current insights into genetics and aetiology, pathophysiology, epidemiology, assessment, therapeutic agents, and treatment strategies together with unmet needs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine 3, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; 2nd Department of Medicine, Hietzing Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Electronic address: josef.smolen@wienkav.at.
authors.forename: Josef S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Smolen
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine 3, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aletaha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Iain B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: McInnes
mesh_terms: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence
chemical_list: D018501:Antirheumatic Agents