Treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis beyond TNF-α inhibitors. Issue 5 (September 2010)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yazici, Yusuf; Simsek, Ismail
• Is Part Of: Expert review of clinical pharmacology. Volume 3:Issue 5(2010)
• Page Start: 663
• Page End: 666
• Publication Date: 2010-09
• Subjects: abatacept -- biologics -- methotrexate -- rheumatoid arthritis -- rituximab -- TNF -- tocilizumab; Clinical pharmacology -- Periodicals; 615.105
• DOI: 10.1586/ecp.10.47
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-2433

Abstract

The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has changed over the last 15 years. Early and aggressive treatment, use of methotrexate as the anchor drug and combination treatment, with older disease-modifying drugs or biologics, have become the norm. TNF inhibitors were the first biologic agents available to rheumatologists and are still currently used as first-line biologics, in addition to other newer biologic agents. Abatacept, rituximab and tocilizumab are available biologics that use a different mode of action to TNF inhibitors, and can be used after a TNF inhibitor is tried. Abatacept is also currently used as a first-line biologic and others can also be used once data are available.