Uso de glucocorticoides en la artritis reumatoide. ¿Cuándo y cómo deben usarse los esteroides en la artritis reumatoide?

Glucocorticoids (GC) are a mainstay of the therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Currently, and despite their extensive use, the discussion about the benefits and adverse effects of low dose GC in the management of RA persists. In recent years, a number of clinical trials have attempted to establish the benefits of long-term GC use as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in RA, and to define their side effects. Results of these clinical trials provide solid evidence that low-dose GC can inhibit radiographic damage in early RA, and that side effects of GC, when used in that clinical framework, are limited to hyperglycaemia, cataracts, and transient weight gain.