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Review

I farmaci biologici nelle malattie infiammatorie articolari:

1 - artrite reumatoide

DOI 10.23753/htafocus2014.02.008

Marta Priora, Marco Scarati, Francesco Cattel, Angela Laganà, Simone Parisi, Clara Lisa Peroni, Cristina Realmuto,

Enrico Fusaro

Abstract

Rheumathoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that belongs to the group of adult chronic inflammatory rheumatisms that lead to a progressive disability.
The advent of new therapies, that can modify the course of the disease, preventing deformity and disability, has revolutionized the therapeutic attitude with an early use of Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs). Currently, there are two available classes of DMARDs: conventional synthetic chemical compounds (csDMARDs) and biotechnological agents (bDMARDs), with different pharmacological properties and consequently different prescriptive modalities.
Methotrexate (MTX) is the most commonly used drug in the treatment of RA, both in monotherapy
and in combination with others DMARDs.
Last generation of therapeutic options, in other words the biotechnological drugs, although with higher direct costs, has demonstrated excellent clinical efficacy and long term social and healthcare costs reduction.
Concluding, today the RA treatment cannot disregard the scientific evidence, the implementation of guidelines for the effective disease management and an integrated approach between general practitioner and specialist.

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Key words: Rheumathoid Arthritis, Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs, biologic therapy, treat to target strategy, integrated approach

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