Overview of immunosuppressive and conventional (non-biologic) disease-modifying drugs in the rheumatic diseases
- Author
- Philip Seo, MD
Philip Seo, MD
- Assistant Professor of Medicine
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Section Editor
- Daniel E Furst, MD
Daniel E Furst, MD
- Section Editor — Treatment Issues in Rheumatology
- Clinical professor, University of Washington, Seattle
- Clinical professor, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- Professor of Rheumatology, University of California in Los Angeles (Emeritus)
- Director of Research, Pacific Arthritis Associates
- Deputy Editor
- Paul L Romain, MD
Paul L Romain, MD
- Deputy Editor — Rheumatology
- Assistant Professor of Medicine, Part-time
- Harvard Medical School
INTRODUCTION
Immunosuppressive drugs other than glucocorticoids are used in the treatment of various rheumatologic conditions to achieve one or more of the following goals:
●To induce or maintain a remission
●To reduce the frequency of flare or relapse
●To allow tapering of glucocorticoids while maintaining disease control
This topic review will provide an overview of the use of immunosuppressive drugs in various rheumatic diseases, including the conventional (non-biologic) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), sometimes referred to as traditional DMARDs. Detailed discussions concerning the use of these drugs in specific rheumatic disorders are presented in the appropriate topic reviews covering the treatment of each condition.
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Top- INTRODUCTION
- MECHANISMS OF ACTION
- RELATIVE TOXICITIES
- MONITORING FOR TOXICITY
- USE OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
- Glucocorticoids
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs
- Biologic agents
- USE OF IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE DRUGS IN OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Inflammatory myositis
- Scleroderma
- Vasculitides
- - Glucocorticoids
- - Cytotoxic drugs
- INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS
- SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
- ACKNOWLEDGMENT
- REFERENCES