Current therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

The well informed and well motivated patient with rheumatoid arthritis today has an excellent chance of avoiding serious disability and deformity. No available pharmacologic agent can permanently alter the course of the disease, and no pharmacologic agent can preclude the need for a balanced program emphasizing moderation, rest and constant attention to physical therapy. Early synovectomy is enjoying increasing popularity although the long-term benefits have yet to be established. The several drugs now undergoing trial hold little promise of materially altering the management of rheumatoid arthritis in the near future. The skills of physician, surgeon, and physiatrist must be brought to bear to provide optimal care.