[Recent progress in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a representative autoimmune disease characterized by chronic and destructive inflammatory synovitis that causes severe disability and mortality. Since joint destruction occurs from the early disease, its diagnosis and treatment have to be done timely. 2010 RA classification criteria redefine the current paradigm of RA by focusing on features at earlier stages of disease that are associated with persistent and/or erosive disease. Thus, a new concept of 'treat-to-target' is emerging in treatments of RA, whereby patients are treated according to prespecified goals, such as remission. Accordingly, the combinational use of methotrexate and biologics targeting TNF and IL-6 has revolutionized the treatment of RA, producing significant improvements in clinical and structural outcomes, and has produced upcoming endpoint for the treatment as the clinical and structural remission.