Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. New thoughts on the classic pyramid approach.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis can be quite challenging. Toxicity profiles of the various anti-inflammatory agents are often unacceptable, mainly because of gastrointestinal intolerance or bleeding. In addition, epidemiologic data suggest that rheumatoid arthritis is a disease with substantial morbidity and increased mortality. Consequently, newer trends in therapy involve earlier use of remittive agents as well as use of low-dose steroids. These modifications of the classic pyramid approach and the investigation of other methods may significantly influence the future of rheumatoid arthritis therapy and improve quality of life in those with the disease.