Efficacy of denosumab in rheumatoid arthritis with osteoporosis

Abstract

　The therapeutic effect of denosumab (DMAb) was assessed in female osteoporosis patients using radial dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (radial DXA): those with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PO group), PO with rheumatoid arthritis (RA group), and PO with RA receiving glucocorticoids (RA + GC group).　In all, PO patients 60 years of age or older with a % young adult mean value of <70%, as determined by radial DXA were treated with DMAb. The DMAb treatment group comprised PO group, RA group, and RA+GC group. The control group comprised PO group and RA group who received oral bisphosphonate (BP). The bone mineral density (BMD) was determined by using radial DXA. The bone turnover marker, type I collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide, (NTx) were also measured.　Radial DXA revealed a significant increase in the DMAb treatment, but not in the BP treatment. The onset of an increase in BMD with DMAb was slower in RA group than in those without. The effect of DMAb in preventing increased NTx levels was smaller in the RA and RA + GC groups than in the PO group. The adherence to DMAb treatment was statistically significantly greater than for BP treatment.　RA is commonly associated with osteoporosis but there is no established treatment approach. DMAb may be first-line osteoporosis drug in rheumatoid arthritis patients.