Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that is associated with joint damage and progressive disability, an increased risk of morbidity related to comorbid conditions and substantial socioeconomic costs. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine known to have a central role in the initial host response to infection and in the pathogenesis of various i...

Rheumatoid arthritis can cause chronic pain, disability, fatigue and loss of productivity both in the workplace and at home. Fatigue, not joint pain, swelling or that there may be radiographic damage, is frequently mentioned by patients as their most debilitating problem. In the era prior to biologic therapy in rheumatoid arthritis, it was reported that 40% to 50% of individuals reported work l...

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) levels and articular ultrasound (US) scores in assessing disease activity and therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS A total of 151 RA patients were enrolled, of whom 22 were treated with certolizumab pegol (Cimzia, CZP). The RA patients were divided...

A variety of targets for therapeutic intervention are based upon advances in understanding of the immunopathogenesis of Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease is initiated by an innate immune response, which eventuates in a T-cell driven process, characterized by a T-helper cell 1 type cytokine profile. Several new treatments now focus on suppressing T-cell differentiation or T-cell inflammation. Sin...

References 1 Schmitz S, Adams R, Walsh CD, et al. A mixed treatment comparison of the efficacy of anti-TNF agents in rheumatoid arthritis for methotrexate non-responders demonstrates differences between treatments: a Bayesian approach. Ann Rheum Dis 2012; 71: 225–230. 2 Pearce F, Johnson SR, Courtney P. Interstitial lung disease following certolizumab pegol. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2012; 51: 578–...