[Rheumatology 2003-part I: research news concerning pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, and therapy of chronic inflammatory joint diseases].

Due to the partial elucidation of the immunopathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases during the last years, clinical rheumatology has made a rapid development, which by the consequent use of immunomodulatory therapies including recombinant proteins (biologicals) led to a significantly ameliorated prognosis of these diseases. On this basis, new research projects are continuously performed in the fields of pathogenesis, new drug development, outcome and therapy studies. New developments of imaging techniques and serologic testing facilitate a better classification and definition of disease activity and remission criteria. The current state of research in the field of rheumatoid arthritis and spondylarthropathies with its clinical consequences is reviewed in this article on the basis of the most recent data available.