1. The burden of rheumatoid arthritis -- 2. The role of cytokines in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis -- 3. The role of IL-I and TNF in inflammation, pain, tissue destruction and impairment of the repair process -- 4. The concept of IL-IRa -- Current clinical management of RA -- 5. The role of IL-I inhibition in the treatment of RA -- 7. Conclusion and future prospects.