Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) may be used independently or in combination with other drugs to treat various diseases, including:

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A chronic, inflammatory disease that causes the body’s immune system to attack the joints. This is by far the most common disease treated with DMARDs.
  
  
• Psoriatic arthritis.  A form of arthritis that develops in some people with the skin disease psoriasis.
  
  
• Felty’s syndrome.  Associated with RA. Felty’s syndrome occurs when a person with RA also has an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and an unusually low white blood cell count.
  
  
• Palindromic rheumatism. Intermittent episodes of arthritis. Individuals with this rare disease have repeated arthritic attacks but without producing irreversible changes in the joints.
  
  
• Ankylosing spondylitis. A rare, painful form of arthritis that affects the spine, causing bones to grow together. DMARDs may be prescribed to treat pain and inflammation.
  
  
• Scleroderma. A rare disease that causes hardening and tightening of skin and connective tissues. DMARDs may be used to treat symptoms of scleroderma, such as joint pain or stiffness, curling and pain or numbness in fingers.
  
  
• Systemic lupus erythematosus. A chronic autoimmune disorder in which natural antibodies attack several systems of the body. DMARDs may help treat and alleviate pain and inflammation from attacks of lupus. DMARDs can also address the kidney damage that can result from lupus or other conditions.
  
  
• Colitis. Inflammation of the colon with symptoms that include abdominal pain and cramps. DMARDs may help treat this condition.
  
  
• Cancer pain. DMARDs can help treat and alleviate pain associated with some cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma. And the primary use of some DMARDs is to fight the cancer itself.

As immunosuppressants, DMARDs are also used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs.