This book gives a comprehensive overview of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The introductory general chapters deal with the chemistry of DMARDs, their use in therapy, pharmacoeconomics, and a survey of opinion leaders in the field; the following specific chapters characterize each agent with regard to mechanism of action, therapy, pharmacology, efficacy, toxicity, and monitoring. For each agent some background is given, recent developments and influence of the treatment on patients` quality of life and long-term outcomes are presented.

Comprehensive and well structured according to classes of agents Includes an outlook on future molecular targets International authorship

Inhalt
Medicinal chemistry of the disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.- Targeting DMARD therapy.- Pharmacoeconomic properties of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.- Future molecular targets.- Hydroxychloroquine.- Sulfasalazine.- Parenteral gold.- Azathioprine.- Methotrexate.- Leflunomide.- Cyclosporin.- Tetracyclines.- Systemic glucocorticoids in rheumatoid arthritis.- TNF-? inhibitors.- Anakinra in rheumatoid arthritis.- Combination therapy.- Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of severe autoimmune diseases.