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 New-age Medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Newer “second-line” drugs to control rheumatoid arthritis include leflunomide, and the “biologic” medications etanercept, infliximab, anakinra, and adalimumab. Compared to traditional DMARDs, biologic medication acts faster and effectively stops progressive joint damage. Other medication that can take care of rheumatoid arthritis and is the product of modern biotechnology is referred to as biologic medication or biological response modifier.

In general, its system of action is more direct and focused. Leflunomide gives respite from symptoms and stops the disease from spreading in the system. It de-activates an important enzyme that functions to activate immunity.

On the other hand, arava can cause liver disease, diarrhea, hair loss, and/or rash in some patients. Taking it during pregnancy may cause birth defects. Etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab are all biologic medications. These medicines intercept the tumor necrosis factor, or TNF in the joints, that causes inflammation before it can act on natural receptor, to “switch on" inflammation. This effectively blocks it from calling out to the cells that cause inflammation. Symptoms can be significantly and often rapidly improved in patients. Etanercept is injected subcutaneously once or twice a week. Infliximab is given intravenously. Adalimumab is injected subcutaneously either every, or alternate week.

Research has shown that biological response modifiers also prevent progressive joint destruction of rheumatoid arthritis. They are currently trusted only if other second-line medications ineffective. They are also frequently used in combination with methotrexate and other DMARDs. Futhermore, it should be noted that the TNF-blocking biologics all are more effective when combined with methotrexate.

Anakinra is another biologic treatment that is used to treat moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. It works by binding to a cell messenger protein (IL-1, a proinflammation cytokine) and is injected the skin daily. The response rate of anakinra does not seem as high as with other biologic medications.

Rituxan (rituximab) is an antibody that was first used to treat lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes. It is now known to treat moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have failed the TNF-blocking biologics. Preliminary have shown that both rituxan and orecia are beneficial in treating severe rheumatoid arthritis complicated by blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis) and cryoglobulinemia.

While biologic medications are often combined with traditional DMARDs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, they are generally not used with other biologic medications because of unacceptable risk for serious infections.