Contemporary approaches to the management of rheumatoid arthritis: precision and progress

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting synovial joints and extraarticular organs. While conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) like methotrexate remain the cornerstone of therapy, nearly half of patients demonstrate inadequate response to monotherapy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the evolving therapeutic landscape in RA, covering standard therapies, novel treatments, and precision medicine approaches. The treatment landscape has dramatically expanded with biologic DMARDs targeting TNF-alpha, IL-6, B and T cells, and more recently, targeted synthetic DMARDs such as the Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi). Emerging therapies are discussed, including innovative cell-based approaches, that will likely continue to revolutionize the treatment o. Furthermore, treatment failure, in the context of difficult-to-treat disease and factors associated with this, are addressed. We explore biomarker-driven treatment selection utilizing autoantibodies, imaging, and synovial tissue analysis and address key challenges around drug safety concerns, managing comorbidities and difficult-to-treat RA. Finally, this article concludes with reflections on future directions and the role of machine learning, multi-omics technologies, while maintaining the focus on patient-centered approaches to care.