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Rheumatoid arthritis

Nature Reviews Disease Primers volume 4, Article number: 18001 (2018) Cite this article

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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease that primarily affects the joints and is associated with autoantibodies that target various molecules including modified self-epitopes. The identification of novel autoantibodies has improved diagnostic accuracy, and newly developed classification criteria facilitate the recognition and study of the disease early in its course. New clinical assessment tools are able to better characterize disease activity states, which are correlated with progression of damage and disability, and permit improved follow-up. In addition, better understanding of the pathogenesis of RA through recognition of key cells and cytokines has led to the development of targeted disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Altogether, the improved understanding of the pathogenetic processes involved, rational use of established drugs and development of new drugs and reliable assessment tools have drastically altered the lives of individuals with RA over the past 2 decades. Current strategies strive for early referral, early diagnosis and early start of effective therapy aimed at remission or, at the least, low disease activity, with rapid adaptation of treatment if this target is not reached. This treat-to-target approach prevents progression of joint damage and optimizes physical functioning, work and social participation. In this Primer, we discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis and management of RA.

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Figure 1: Development and progression of RA.
Figure 2: Mechanisms involved in initiation and progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Figure 3: Histological features of synovitis and joint destruction in RA.
Figure 4: Clinical manifestations of RA.
Figure 5: Screening for rheumatoid arthritis.
Figure 6: Management of RA with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.
Figure 7: Treatment response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in RA.
Figure 8: HRQOL in individuals with RA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine 3, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, Vienna, 1090, Austria

    Josef S. Smolen & Daniel Aletaha

  2. Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics and Genomics and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, The University of Manchester and Central Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK

    Anne Barton

  3. Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Gerd R. Burmester

  4. Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, UK

    Paul Emery

  5. NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, UK

    Paul Emery

  6. Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of California–San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Gary S. Firestein & Arthur Kavanaugh

  7. Institute of Infection Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Iain B. McInnes

  8. Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Daniel H. Solomon

  9. Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA

    Vibeke Strand

  10. Laboratory for Autoimmune Diseases, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan

    Kazuhiko Yamamoto

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  1. Josef S. Smolen
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  2. Daniel Aletaha
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  3. Anne Barton
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  7. Arthur Kavanaugh
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Contributions

Introduction (J.S.S.); Epidemiology (K.Y. and A.B.); Mechanisms/pathophysiology (I.B.M. and G.S.F.); Diagnosis, screening and prevention (D.A. and D.H.S.); Management (J.S.S., P.E. and G.R.B.); Quality of life (V.S. and A.K.); Outlook (J.S.S. and I.B.M.); Overview of Primer (J.S.S.).

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Josef S. Smolen.

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Competing interests

J.S.S. has received grant support from and/or provided expert advice to AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, BMS, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Celgene, Celltrion, Gilead, Glaxo, ILTOO, Janssen, Lilly, Pfizer, MSD, Roche, Samsung, Novartis-Sandoz and UCB. D.A. served as a consultant and/or speaker for AbbVie, AstraZeneca, BMS, Janssen, Medac, MSD, Pfizer, Roche and UCB and received grant support from BMS. A.B. received grants, speaker fees and/or consultancy fees from Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Celgene, Roche-Chugai and Boehringer-Ingelheim. G.R.B. received honoraria for consulting and lectures from AbbVie, BMS, MSD, Pfizer, UCB and Roche. P.E. has undertaken clinical trials and provided expert advice to Pfizer, MSD, AbbVie, BMS, UCB, Roche, Novartis, Samsung, Sandoz and Eli Lilly. G.S.F. has received grant funding from Janssen and Gilead. A.K. has served as a consultant and/or performed clinical research for AbbVie, Amgen, Celgene, Janssen, Novartis and UCB. I.B.M. has received grants, speaker fees and/or consultancy fees from BMS, AbbVie, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, GSK, Janssen, Novartis, Celgene, Roche-Chugai, UCB and Boehringer-Ingelheim. D.H.S. serves in unpaid roles on a clinical trial sponsored by Pfizer. V.S. has served as a consultant to AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BMS, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Celltrion, Genentech/Roche, GSK, Janssen, Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Samsung, Sanofi and UCB and is a founding member of the executive of OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology; 1992–present), an organization that develops and validates outcome measures in rheumatology randomized controlled trials and longitudinal observational studies and receives arm's-length funding from 36 sponsors. K.Y. received honoraria for consulting and lectures from AbbVie, AYUMI, BMS, Chugai, Eisai, Janssen, Ono, Pfizer, Tanabe-Mitsubishi and UCB.

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Smolen, J., Aletaha, D., Barton, A. et al. Rheumatoid arthritis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 4, 18001 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrdp.2018.1

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