Initial management of rheumatoid arthritis.

The prognosis for the patient with newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has dramatically changed over the last two decades. If a patient is diagnosed and treated early by a rheumatologist with the goal of remission or low disease activity, half of patients can expect to achieve remission while taking their disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. This article discusses the initial therapy in early RA and reviews the studies and trials available in the literature.