Which of the following is a class of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs?

• A. NSAIDs
• B. csDMARDs
• C. APAP
• D. Glucocorticoids

Answer: (B)

DMARDs are drugs that slow or halt the underlying disease process in inflammatory arthritis, not just relieve symptoms. The best choice is the class known as conventional synthetic DMARDs, which directly modify the immune and inflammatory processes to reduce joint damage over time. Examples include methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflunomide, and hydroxychloroquine.

NSAIDs and acetaminophen relieve pain and inflammation but do not change the disease trajectory. Glucocorticoids can rapidly suppress inflammation and may be used short-term or as bridging therapy, but they are not categorized as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in the same way as csDMARDs.