<![CDATA[ABSTRACTBackground: High titer of rheumatoid factor (RF) in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is mostly associated with more severe disease and presence of extra-articular features. To choose the best treatment of RA need the combination of science and art. Objective: the aim of the study was to find the comparison of pharmacological treatment patterns in rheumatoid arthritis patients according to the presence of rheumatoid factor in the serum.Method: This study was a retrospective quantitative observational. The data was collected from medical records of new patients with rheumatoid arthritis who came to the appointment at Rheumatology Clinic Dr. Sardjito Hospital, Yogyakarta in 2010.Results: The total of 39 new patients was eligible in this study. A corticosteroid was the most commonly prescribed (93% of the sero-positive and 84% of the sero-negative patients). Disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were used in 92% sero-positive and 84% sero-negative patients (p=0.827; df=6). In choosing the DMARDs, Chloroquine was the most commonly prescribed (29% of sero-positive and 44% of sero-negative patients), followed by methotrexate (21% of sero-positive and 24% of sero-negative) and suphasalazine (21% of sero-positive and 0% of sero-negative). Leflunomide, doxycycline and combined DMARDs were some time prescribed. Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were used in 64% sero-positive and 68% sero-negative patients. Conclusion: Corticosteroid was the most commonly prescribed drug. There was no difference between the sero-positive and sero-negative of total patients using DMARDs. Â Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid factor, corticosteroid, diseases modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. ]]>
