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Rheumatology 2002; 41: 601-604
© 2002 British Society for Rheumatology

Editorial

The merits of monitoring: should we follow all our rheumatoid arthritis patients in daily practice?

J. Fransen, G. Stucki1 and P. van Riel2

Department of Rheumatology and Institute of Physical Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
1 Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Munich, Germany and
2 Department of Rheumatology, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mainly characterized by symmetrical erosive synovitis and occasional multisystem involvement. Most patients exhibit a chronic fluctuating course of disease that, if left untreated, results in progressive joint destruction, deformity, disability and premature death. It frequently affects patients in their most productive years, and thus disability results in a major economic loss [1].

There is general agreement that rheumatoid inflammation should be controlled as soon and as completely as possible, and that control should be maintained for as long as possible, consistent with patient safety [2]. It is recommended [3] that, in nearly all cases, patients should be treated with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) or a biological agent. DMARDs should be used in doses high enough to reduce inflammation, unless a full treatment effect is gained at a lower dose or limiting toxicity is reached. Treatment failure can then be . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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