IJSR International Journal of Scientific Research 2277 - 8179 Indian Society for Health and Advanced Research ijsr-8-4-18819 Original Research Paper Short term efficacy and safety of biological therapies in rheumatological illness– A single centre study Murugesan Dr. April 2019 8 4 01 02 ABSTRACT

Inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and Juvenile idiopathic arthritis(JIA) are treated with various conventional disease–modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Conventional DMARDs used are methotrexate, leflunomide, azathioprine hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine. They are used as mono or combination therapies to reduce joint damage and preserve joint function. Biologic DMARDS, are the agents, made from living cells, approved for the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Biologic therapies approved for use in inflammatory joint diseases are Tumour Necrosis Factor inhibitors, T–cell modulators and B–cell depletors, IL– 6 inhibitors and JAK inhibitors. All immuno–modulating therapies have potential side effects also. In this study, we present our experience with biological therapies in our institution.