2017 RECOMMENDATION PROPOSAL OF THE CROATIAN SOCIETY OF RHEUMATOLOGY FOR THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH BIOLOGIC DRUGS AND TARGETED SYNTHETIC DRUGS

Reumatoidni artritis sustavna je upalna reumatska bolest koja, osim zglobova, zahvaća i unutarnje organe, kožu, osjetilni i živčani sustav, a znatno povisuje i rizik od kardiovaskularnih bolesti. Posljednjih godina znatno se promijenio pristup u dijagnostici i liječenju bolesnika s reumatoidnim artritisom. Rana dijagnoza i pravodobno započinjanje liječenja sintetskim i biološkim lijekovima iznimno su važni da bi se spriječile ireverzibilne posljedice ove teške bolesti. Hrvatsko reumatološko društvo Hrvatskoga liječničkog zbora u skladu s novijim spoznajama u reumatologiji obnovilo je preporuke za liječenje reumatoidnog artritisa.Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic infl ammatory rheumatic disease that primarily aff ects joints, but may also aff ect inner organs, skin, as well as the sensory and nervous systems. Additionally, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Over the last years the approach to management of rheumatoid arthritis has been signifi cantly changed. Early diagnosis as well as early onset of treatment with synthetic and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs is now considered to be of utmost importance to prevent irreversible damage in this serious illness. Th e Croatian Rheumatological Society of the Croatian Medical Association has updated the recommendations for management of rheumatoid arthritis in line with the most recent advances in the fi eld