Associated Complications with Biological Treatment in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Considerations in relation to a Clinical Case

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease of autoimmune ori- gin, characterized by a variable evolution, with remissions and reactivations. It is considered that a diagnosis and early treatment allow avoiding the joint damage, improving the prognosis and the quality of life of the patient. The current treat- ment is based on the use of synthetic antirheumatic drugs modifying the disease (sDMARDS), associated with low-dose glucocorticoids. Faced with the failure or intolerance of this treatment or in cases of a very severe initial disease, especially with extra-articular manifestations, the use of biological drugs that modify the disease (bDMARD) is recommended. These drugs, used in the indicated condi- tions, have meant an important advance in the control and prognosis of the dis- ease. However, they are not exempt from the presence of adverse reactions, so they should be monitored permanently.