{"id":88137,"date":"2026-03-04T08:58:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-04T07:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/?p=88137"},"modified":"2026-03-04T08:58:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T07:58:45","slug":"rheumatoid-arthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/rheumatoid-arthritis\/","title":{"rendered":"New developments in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: biological drugs and their impact"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease t<\/strong>hat affects the joints, causing inflammation, pain, stiffness and, over time, irreversible joint damage, leading to loss of mobility and joint deformity.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Although there is no cure, advances in treatment have radically changed the prognosis for those who suffer from it, especially thanks to the emergence of biological drugs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>What are biological medicines?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Biological treatments are <strong>drugs developed using biotechnology<\/strong> that act specifically on key molecules involved in the immune system&#8217;s inflammatory response. Unlike traditional drugs, which have a more general effect, biological drugs <strong>act in a targeted manner<\/strong>, allowing for greater efficacy with fewer systemic adverse effects, i.e., throughout the body.<\/p>\n<p>These drugs are usually administered subcutaneously or intravenously and are mainly recommended for patients who have not responded adequately to conventional treatments, such as methotrexate (medication).<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Main types of biological drugs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There are several groups of biological drugs for RA, depending on the molecule they act on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Anti-TNF (tumour necrosis factor)<\/strong>: such as adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab. These are the most commonly used and have been shown to effectively reduce inflammation and slow down joint damage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Anti-IL-6<\/strong>: such as tocilizumab, which blocks the action of interleukin-6, one of the main substances responsible for the inflammatory process in RA.<\/li>\n<li><strong>B-cell or T-cell inhibitors<\/strong>: such as rituximab or abatacept, which modulate the activity of certain lymphocytes involved in the immune response.<\/li>\n<li><strong>JAK inhibitors (non-biological, but similar in function)<\/strong>: Although not strictly biological, JAK inhibitors (such as tofacitinib or baricitinib) are a highly effective oral alternative for patients with moderate to severe RA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>How have they changed RA treatment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The incorporation of these treatments has been a true revolution<\/strong>. In the past, many patients suffered progressive and irreversible disability. Today, with early diagnosis and thanks to the wide range of treatments available, clinical remission or at least significant control of the disease can be achieved, thus significantly improving quality of life.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, a treatment approach known as <strong>\u2018treat to target\u2019<\/strong> has been adopted, which involves adjusting medication until a clear therapeutic goal is achieved, such as remission or low disease activity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Important considerations<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Although biological medicines have been proven to be safe and effective, <strong>their use requires close monitoring.<\/strong> By modulating the immune system, they can increase the risk of infections, so it is important to undergo regular check-ups and follow the recommended vaccination schedule.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In summary, biological treatments have transformed the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, offering new hope to thousands of patients worldwide.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Dr. Antonio Avil\u00e9s<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Rheumatology Resident<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\">Dr. Balmis General Hospital<\/p>\n<h6><strong><u><a href=\"https:\/\/www.asssa.es\/en\/insurance\/health-insurance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ASSSA Health Insurance<\/a><\/u><\/strong><\/h6>\n<h6><em>The information published in this media neither substitutes nor complements in any way the direct supervision of a doctor, his diagnosis or the treatment that he may prescribe. It should also not be used for self-diagnosis.<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>The exclusive responsibility for the use of this service lies with the reader.<\/em><\/h6>\n<h6><em>ASSSA advises you to always consult your doctor about any issue concerning your health.<\/em><\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the joints, causing inflammation, pain, stiffness and, over time, irreversible joint damage, leading to loss of mobility and joint deformity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":88139,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-88137","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>New developments in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: biological drugs and their impact - 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