[Rheumatoid arthritis: milestones in classification and treatment].

New classification criteria of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by the American College of Rheumatology and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) allow the early assignment of arthritides as RA and thus early start of therapy. This is an important step towards early diagnosis and treatment. The EULAR recommendations for the treatment of RA for the first time define the value of biologicals by means of therapeutic algorithms based on extensive scientific evidence and taking into account cost-effectiveness. As a result biologicals can be used after the first failure of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), if there are unfavourable prognostic factors. Methotrexate is, as a DMARD, at the centre of treatment.