The most important recent advance in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been the development of drugs called biologic response modifiers. They are a subset of the class of drugs known as disease modifying antirheumatic drugs or DMARDs. However, instead of affecting the entire immune system as the traditional DMARDs do, these sophisticated drugs zero in on a specific component of the immune system. As a result of this approach, they have been proven to work faster and without the side effects associated with other DMARDs. They have also been proven to be effective at stopping the progressive joint damage associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Biologics are derived from living or synthetic organisms. Some of the biologics currently in use to treat rheumatoid arthritis target a specific component of the immune system called cytokines. These proteins play a pivotal role in the inflammatory process. Three of these drugs block a cytokine in the joints called tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), which is a known cause of inflammation, fever, pain, tenderness and swelling—all symptoms common to rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. By blocking TNF-alpha, the drugs help reduce inflammation and the resulting structural damage to the joints. This, in turn, improves patients' quality of life by improving their mobility and function.
Specific Therapies
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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