[Rheumatoid arthritis].

The development of novel anti-rheumatic drugs revolutionizes currently therapeutic strategies and diagnostic management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, facilitating the goal of true remission instead of only symptomatic treatment as in former years. Since early treatment is known to be crucial for the longterm outcome, imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance imaging and high-frequency ultrasonography including Doppler sonography, which allow direct visualization of very early pathologic alterations of synovitis, or even initial destruction, become increasingly important. Besides the established therapy with methotrexate, new drugs such as leflunomide or the use of various combination therapies have been successfully introduced into the therapeutic armamentarium. Especially the introduction of cytokine-antagonists such as TNF-a inhibitors target the aim of remission. In addition, the upcoming therapeutic agents, which influence very effectively the inflammatory and destructive process need also to be integrated into the concert of different therapeutic strategies in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, which includes the mandatory complementary factors such as physiotherapy, ergotherapy and orthopedic surgery.