Rheumatoid Arthritis

Treatment Guidelines

Overview

Professional organisations committed to improving care and outcomes for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, the EULAR and ACR issue treatment guidelines aimed at healthcare providers for RA that are periodically revised and updated based on the evolution of medical knowledge, technology, and practice in the field of rheumatology.1-4
See below for links to various guidelines available from EULAR and ACR for the treatment of patients with RA, including vaccinations and disease management during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resources for the management of RA
EULAR

Recommendations for RA management with conventional or biologic DMARDs (2019 update)4

ACR

Early RA

Guidelines for RA with disease duration <6 months (2015)3

Established RA

Guidelines for RA with disease duration ≥6 months (2015)3

High-risk patients

Guidelines for established RA and moderate or high disease activity and CHF, hepatitis B or C, past history of malignancy, or serious infection(s)3

Recommendations for vaccination in adult patients with AIIRDs5

Recommendations for the use of vaccines in patients with RA starting or receiving DMARDs or biologics3

COVID-19 recommendations

Provisional recommendations for the management of RMDs in the context of SARS-CoV-27

COVID-19 guidance

Recommendations for the management of rheumatic disease in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic6

COVID-19 vaccine viewpoints

Responses to FAQs by patients with RMDs regarding the use of immunosuppressants and SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations9

COVID-19 vaccine guidance

Clinical guidance summary for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in patients with RMDs8

Related

JAK-STAT Function

Learn more about the function of the JAK-STAT pathway

Clinical Outcomes

Check out a summary of key clinical outcome measures

AIIRD, autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease; ACR, American College of Rheumatology; CHF, congestive heart failure; DMARD, disease-modifying antirheumatic drug; EULAR, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology; FAQ, frequently asked questions; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; RMD, rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease; SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2.


REFERENCES

1. About EULAR. European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology. Accessed March 19, 2021. https://www.eular.org/eular_about.cfm. 2. About us. American College of Rheumatology. Accessed March 19, 2021. https://www.rheumatology.org/About-Us 3. Singh JA, Saag KG, Bridges SL Jr, et al. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016;68(1):1-25. 4. Smolen JS, Landewé RBM, Bijlsma JWJ, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020;79(6):685-699. 5. Furer V, Rondaan C, Heijstek MW, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020;79(1):39-52. 6. Mikuls TR, Johnson SR, Fraenkel L, et al. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021;73(2):e1-e12. 7. Landewé RB, Machado PM, Kroon F, et al. Ann Rheum Dis. 2020;79(7):851-858. 8. American College of Rheumatology COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance Task Force. COVID-19 vaccine clinical guidance summary for patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Updated March 4, 2021. Accessed March 22, 2021. https://www.rheumatology.org/Portals/0/Files/COVID-19-Vaccine-Clinical-Guidance-Rheumatic-Diseases-Summary.pdf 9. Bijlsma JWJ. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021;80:411-412.