Infliximab and Rheumatoid Arthritis

A healthcare provider may prescribe

infliximab (Remicade^®) to treat rheumatoid arthritis. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the immune system mistakes a person's own cells as invaders and attacks them, causing damage.

When used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, infliximab works to relieve several symptoms, such as chronic pain and tender, warm, and swollen joints. This medication can also help prevent future joint damage.

Infliximab can be used as a rheumatoid arthritis treatment only when it is combined with methotrexate (Rheumatrex^®), another rheumatoid arthritis medication.

(For more details on using this medicine for rheumatoid arthritis, click What Is Infliximab Used For?. This article takes a closer look at how this medication works to treat this and other inflammatory conditions, and also describes other possible uses of the drug.)