류마티스 관절염의 예방과 관리

Prevention and Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis(RA) is the most common inflammatory joint disease and a major cause of disability, morbidity, and mortality. It occurs worldwide, affecting approximately one percent of adults. Inflammation of the synovial membrane surrounding a joint leads to swollen, tender, and stiff joints RA has no known cure and the diagnosis is made based on clinical criteria and many different options exist for treatment. All of these factors magnify the importance of the patient-physician interaction and place a premium on the art rather than the science of medicine. The major goals of therapy for RA are to relive pain, swelling, and fatigue; improve joint function; stop joint daage, and prevent disability and disease-related morbidity. Some combination of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs), steroids, and DMARDs is necessary in almost patients. In many combinations of different DMARDs or DMARDs plus biologicals are necessary for optimal control. Additionaly, all patients with RA should be educated about their disease and the therapies that will be used. Patient education is essentially early in the disease course and on going basis Much research is focused on the further development of biological agent for treatment of RA. Elucidation of the trigger or trigers for RA may allow us to begin to think about prevention of RA.