O USO TERAPÊUTICO DE ANTICORPOS MONOCLONAIS NA ARTRITE REUMATOIDE

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly affects the peripheral joints, resulting in pain, stiffness and, in severe cases, functional disability. Although there is no cure, appropriate treatment can improve patients’ quality of life. This paper carries out a literature review on the use of monoclonal antibodies in thetreatment of RA, exploring their efficacy and the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. The methodology consists of descriptive and exploratory research, analyzing scientific articles published on Google Scholar, SciELO and PubMed databases. The selected studies highlight the benefits of immunobiologicals, such as tocilizumab and adalimumab, in controlling inflammation and reducing the progression of the disease. The results indicate that these drugs, especially when combined with other DMARDs, have shown significant efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe RA, but they also present challenges such as high cost and risk of infections. The study concludes that, despite the advances, more studies are still needed on the use of monoclonal antibodies and new therapies for the treatment of RA.