Rheumatoid arthritis: recommendations for treat to target

Integrating the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treat-to-target concept into standard clinical practice represents a challenge to health professionals. So far, this practice-changing approach has not been widely implemented, in spite of linking its outcome to payment, which was adopted in the best practice tariffs. The recently published revisions in classification criteria and updated recommendations for optimising the use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic and biologic agents in the treatment of RA paved the way for re-evaluating the standard clinical care models in order to improve patient outcomes, prevent joint damage, and maintain patients' functional ability as well as their quality of life. This article discusses the recent advances in the management of RA and provides a set of recommendations to provide comprehensive guidance for treatment to target with the aim of improving the quality of care for RA patients.