[Pharmacotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis in 1992]

The author presents an overview of the state of pharmacotherapy of rheumatoid arthritis in 1992. In the area of non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs attention is drawn to some problems associated with their undesirable action on the digestive tract and articular cartilage. The problem of interindividual reactivity to this group of drugs has not been resolved so far. The mechanism of their action, in particular analgetic action, is also still open. It was found that they can exert not only a central but also a peripheral action. Drugs modifying the disease have been extended by sulphasalazine, methotrexate and cyclosporin. Interest in combined treatment with these drugs is increasing as well as attitudes to the strategy of their application. The corticoid group has been extended by the preparation deflazacort which does not have a catabolic effect on osseous tissue. In the posology of corticoids pulsed treatment is gaining support.