Advances in RA Treatment
During the 1980s and 90s, research showed that certain types of blood cells called T-cells (and the chemical messengers they release) were involved in the development of RA. As a result, DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) and biologic DMARDs, like anti-TNFs (tumor necrosis factor), became the standard among RA treatments.
Targeting B-cells to Treat Your RA
Recent advances in RA research have shed new light on the importance of specific B-cells—a type of white blood cell found in the immune system. This research suggests that reducing the number of these B-cells in the blood can reduce the pain and symptoms of RA. Now more and more rheumatologists are prescribing B-cell targeted therapy when anti-TNFs have not worked well.
