Significance of early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

The significance of early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (one of the most important rheumatic diseases) is discussed. Early rheumatoid arthritis is described as a condition with the following signs: continuous or remitting inflammatory joint disease; association with rheumatoid factor and anticitrulline antibodies; a tendency to cartilage and bone destruction; chronic synovitis in morphology. Methods of solution of diagnostic problems are discussed. A case of early RA is presented with analysis of typical clinical features, diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches. The possibility of affecting the course of this disease using early, aggressive disease-modifying antirheumatic therapy is discussed