Twenty years of targeted treatment in rheumatoid arthritis in the Greek databases: Achievements and unmet needs

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease associated with substantial morbidity and mortality especially in difficult to treat cases. Biologic agents were introduced 20 years ago in Greece and RA management has paralleled the European experience. Several publications from the country have captured important aspects of the disease from its epidemiology to the clinical use of biologics and management of comorbidities. In this communication we review the management of RA and its evolution over the last 20 years in Greece, discussing the major achievements and the unmet needs of the disease in an effort to put this into a perspective. We conclude that introduction of biologic therapy has substantially changed the treatment of difficult to treat rheumatoid arthritis in-spite of the multiple unmet needs. While striving for even better outcomes, we cannot lose sight of the major impact of biologic therapies on the lives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.