Rheumatoid Arthritis

A chronic systemic disease, primarily of the joints, marked by inflammatory changes in the synovial membranes and articular structures, widespread fibrinoid degeneration of the collagen fibers in mesenchymal tissues, and by atrophy and rarefaction of bony structures. Etiology is unknown, but autoimmune mechanisms have been implicated.

Also Known As:

Networked: 38729 relevant articles (2305 outcomes, 5373 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Osteoarthritis
2.	Pain (Aches)
3.	Arthritis (Polyarthritis)
4.	Psoriasis (Pustulosis Palmaris et Plantaris)
5.	Crohn Disease (Crohn's Disease)

Experts

1.	Emery, Paul: 153 articles (02/2016 - 02/2002)
2.	Klareskog, Lars: 110 articles (01/2016 - 08/2003)
3.	Huizinga, Tom W J: 108 articles (10/2015 - 03/2003)
4.	Takeuchi, Tsutomu: 107 articles (02/2016 - 06/2004)
5.	Yamanaka, Hisashi: 107 articles (01/2016 - 04/2002)
6.	Tak, Paul P: 106 articles (01/2016 - 01/2002)
7.	Tanaka, Yoshiya: 97 articles (01/2016 - 12/2002)
8.	Smolen, Josef S: 93 articles (11/2015 - 03/2002)
9.	Cutolo, Maurizio: 80 articles (03/2015 - 06/2002)
10.	Holmdahl, Rikard: 79 articles (01/2016 - 02/2002)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Rheumatoid Arthritis:

1.	Methotrexate (Mexate)FDA LinkGeneric 01/01/1994 - "Early placebo-controlled trials demonstrated that weekly low dosage methotrexate produced early symptomatic improvement in most rheumatoid arthritis patients. " 04/01/2004 - "(1) There is no consensus on the best treatment option for rheumatoid arthritis when a first-line agent fails (most often methotrexate). " 10/01/2013 - "The findings of this systematic review with meta-analysis indicate that tofacitinib monotherapy or with background methotrexate provides early statistically significant and clinically important improvement in rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and has an acceptable safety profile comparable to that of placebo. " 06/01/2003 - "Methotrexate has proven to be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and is believed to be nononcogenic in the low weekly dose typically employed in the patients with RA. " 11/01/1997 - "Because of methotrexate's well-documented efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, it is important that we understand the mechanism of action of this drug. "
2.	Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor)IBA 06/01/2014 - "In recent years Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF alfa) inhibitors have been highly effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 01/01/2012 - "The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) biological drugs has dramatically improved the prognosis of these patients. " 01/01/2011 - "While tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors have dramatically improved the clinical outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in recent years, infectious complications are a serious concern. " 07/01/2007 - "Although tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists have dramatically improved the outcome of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), some of the patients do not respond or cannot tolerate these drugs. " 08/01/2005 - "Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and most patients treated with anti-TNFalpha agents show significant improvement in both signs and symptoms. "
3.	Antirheumatic Agents (DMARD)IBA 12/01/2014 - "With modern initial aggressive combination treatments with synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (sDMARD), most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) achieve remission, have marginal radiographic progression, and sustain normal function. " 08/01/2014 - "The prognosis for patients with rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritides has improved dramatically due to earlier diagnosis, recognition of the need to treat early with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), alone or in combinations, the establishment of treatment targets, and the development of biological DMARDs (bDMARDs). " 01/01/2014 - "The introduction and uptake of biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs has dramatically advanced and improved the standard care and the prognosis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 04/01/2012 - "The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has improved dramatically with the advent of the latest generation of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. " 03/20/2007 - "Currently available antirheumatic drugs can be highly effective in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis in a setting of tight disease control. "
4.	TNFR-Fc fusion protein (etanercept)FDA Link 01/01/2003 - "Overall, etanercept is highly effective and well tolerated by patients with PsA, with a safety profile similar to that seen in rheumatoid arthritis." 01/01/2011 - "Two cases of women with rheumatoid arthritis in complete remission of the disease with etanercept who decided to continue the therapy throughout their pregnancy are presented. " 01/01/2008 - "Efficacy of etanercept and complete decongestive physical therapy in bilateral lower-limb lymphoedema associated with rheumatoid arthritis: a case report." 01/01/2014 - "High rate of disease remission in moderate rheumatoid arthritis on etanercept therapy: data from GISEA, the Italian biologics register." 12/01/2005 - "Etanercept, approved in the United States and in Europe for use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and JRA, is an effective inhibitor of TNF that has been shown to provide rapid and sustained improvement in both diseases. "
5.	infliximab (Remicade)FDA Link 08/01/2009 - "The use of biologicals such as infliximab has dramatically improved the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 06/01/2009 - "Efficacy of high-throughput leukocytapheresis for rheumatoid arthritis with a reduced response to infliximab." 01/01/2002 - "Infliximab is effective in a significant number of patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis, with a good tolerability." 09/01/2003 - "A subset analysis of the Attract trial has demonstrated better efficacy of infliximab in reducing joint damage in an early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) population. " 04/01/2010 - "In rheumatoid arthritis, infliximab concentration is predictive of sustained efficacy with the same infliximab regimen and should be considered on a routine basis."
6.	tocilizumabFDA Link 06/01/2010 - "The previous clinical studies have demonstrated tocilizumab monotherapy to be highly effective in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 01/01/2015 - "Remarkable efficacy of tocilizumab for treating rheumatoid arthritis in patients with high platelet counts." 11/01/2013 - "To determine the optimal conditions for inducing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) into disease remission by tocilizumab (TCZ), we analyzed the TCZ therapy carried out in our facility. " 06/01/2015 - "Tocilizumab treatment results in significant improvement, maintained over time, of pcJIA signs and symptoms and has a safety profile consistent with that for adults with rheumatoid arthritis. " 02/01/2014 - "Tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, is effective in the treatment of various autoimmune and inflammatory conditions notably rheumatoid arthritis. "
7.	rituximab (Mabthera)FDA Link 06/01/2008 - "B cell depletion with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab has proven efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 02/01/2004 - "Successful therapy of rheumatoid arthritis with rituximab: renewed interest in the role of B cells in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis." 02/01/2013 - "In this context, it has been shown that a B-cell directed therapy with rituximab is more effective in seropositive patients with rheumatoid arthritis. " 01/01/2012 - "Rituximab is more effective than second anti-TNF therapy in rheumatoid arthritis patients and previous TNFα blocker failure." 01/01/2012 - "We reported a patient suffering from refractory rheumatoid arthritis who responded to rituximab with sustained remission. "
8.	adalimumab (Humira)FDA Link 07/01/2010 - "A 78-joints ultrasonographic assessment is associated with clinical assessments and is highly responsive to improvement in a longitudinal study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis starting adalimumab treatment." 01/01/2004 - "Moreover, the safety and tolerability of adalimumab in large clinical studies of rheumatoid arthritis have shown good results. " 11/01/2006 - "PDS detected a rapid and significant reduction in synovial perfusion at the wrist joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving adalimumab. " 10/01/2006 - "Our results were consistent across several categories of end points and suggest that adalimumab combined with MTX is effective in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated in daily clinical practice and is superior to adalimumab monotherapy." 02/01/2015 - "Discontinuation of adalimumab after achieving remission in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis: 1-year outcome of the HONOR study."
9.	abatacept (BELATACEPT)FDA Link 01/01/2014 - "Intravenous abatacept has good clinical efficacy with an acceptably low toxicity profile in rheumatoid arthritis, but the subcutaneous mode of delivery has only recently become available. " 01/01/2010 - "In clinical trials, abatacept is effective in treating the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis as well as in inhibiting structural damage. " 05/01/2011 - "Greater remission rates in patients with early versus long-standing disease in biologic-naive rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with abatacept: a post hoc analysis of randomized clinical trial data." 11/01/2006 - "Abatacept, a newly approved agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, has shown promising results in patients who have had an inadequate response to other treatment modalities. " 04/01/2015 - "Biologic-free remission of established rheumatoid arthritis after discontinuation of abatacept: a prospective, multicentre, observational study in Japan."
10.	leflunomide (Arava)FDA LinkGeneric 10/01/2008 - "Leflunomide is an immunomodulating agent with proven efficacy in rheumatoid arthritis. " 11/01/2000 - "In phase II and III clinical trials of active rheumatoid arthritis, leflunomide was shown to improve primary and secondary outcome measures with a satisfactory safety profile. " 12/01/2002 - "It has been shown that leflunomide is effective in treating active rheumatoid arthritis(RA) in a placebo-controlled phase II study. " 06/02/2014 - "Leflunomide [HWA 486 or RS-34821, 5-methyl-N-(4trifluoromethylphenyl)-4-isoxazole carboximide] is an immunosuppressive agent effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. " 06/01/2012 - "Leflunomide, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, has been shown to be effective in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Biological Therapy 05/01/2012 - "Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an aggressive and progressive disease in which the prognosis has improved dramatically since the arrival of biological therapies at the end of the nineties. " 01/01/2012 - "Early aggressive treatment and utilization of targeted biological therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has dramatically improved patient outcomes. " 09/01/2010 - "In the last decade, biological therapies have dramatically changed the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in such a way that remission is currently an achievable goal. " 01/01/2012 - " Advancements in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment protocols and introduction of targeted biological therapies have markedly improved patient outcomes, despite this, up to 50% of patients still fail to achieve a significant clinical response. " 08/01/2011 - "As very effective targeted biological therapies have become available to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), remission is now the goal of treatment. "
2.	Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 09/01/2013 - "These results lead us to anticipate that screening of chemicals having high therapeutic efficacy in acidic medium promotes the development of new microenvironment-dependent medicines for chemotherapies against rheumatoid arthritis. " 09/01/2011 - "Despite the enthusiastic progresses in the field of rheumatoid arthritis pharmacotherapy the presence of prognostic factors associated with an unfavorable outcome and the inappropriate and/or delayed initiation of DMARDs can diminish the likelihood of achieving remission and increase the probability of refractoriness to treatment. " 04/01/2010 - "Familiarity with the systemic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis as well as familiarity with drug therapy used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis may be helpful in the avoidance of some postoperative complications. " 11/01/2006 - "Can remission be maintained with or without further drug therapy in rheumatoid arthritis?" 01/01/2000 - "[Long-term drug therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and remission]."
3.	Arthroplasty 06/01/2009 - "We were particularly interested to see if wrist joint arthroplasty is a useful alternative for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and which of the types we used shows the best results. " 07/01/1997 - "Surgical correction of the forefoot in rheumatoid arthritis by resection of all metatarsal heads in combination with a resection arthroplasty of the first metatarsophalangeal joint showed excellent and good results in 20 (77%) of 26 cases and satisfactory and fair results in 6 (23%) of 26 cases. " 01/01/2013 - "The definitive treatment for advanced joint destruction in the late stages of rheumatoid arthritis can be successfully treated with total joint arthroplasty. " 10/19/2011 - "Comparatively good outcomes were observed in the short to intermediate term after reverse shoulder arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. " 01/01/1995 - "The low complication rate (6% fracture rate) with the successful functional outcome of Swanson's metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty in rheumatoid arthritis will be the gold standard for any new implant to develop."
4.	Injections 09/01/2009 - "Injectable poly[lac(glc-leu)] microparticles hold promise for increasing drug bioavailability and reducing dosing frequency for better management of rheumatoid arthritis." 01/01/2016 - "Step-down strategy of spacing TNF-blocker injections for established rheumatoid arthritis in remission: results of the multicentre non-inferiority randomised open-label controlled trial (STRASS: Spacing of TNF-blocker injections in Rheumatoid ArthritiS Study)." 01/01/2009 - "The intra-articular efficacy of hyaluronate injections in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis." 07/01/1992 - "The predictive relevance of synovial fluid analysis and some other variables for the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections in 30 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and hydropsy in a knee joint was evaluated in a prospective study. " 07/01/1992 - "Predictive value of synovial fluid analysis in estimating the efficacy of intra-articular corticosteroid injections in patients with rheumatoid arthritis."
5.	Therapeutics 01/01/2014 - "Recent advances have improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the development of new therapeutics, including biological agents, have thus made it possible to strive for remission as a primary goal. " 01/01/2013 - "Demonstrating the effectiveness of expensive new rheumatoid arthritis (RA) therapeutics is imperative to determine whether the quality of care has improved with the introduction of these agents. " 02/01/2015 - "Protein therapeutics targeting inflammatory mediators have shown great promise for the treatment of autoimmunities such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). " 01/15/2009 - "Achieving remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains elusive despite current biological therapeutics. " 12/01/2008 - "Issues in the design of new clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis therapeutics."