REVIEW - Secondary osteoporosis: bisphosphonates as a possible strategy for the prevention of bone destruction in RA

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Clin Calcium. 2007 Dec;17(12):1909-13.

[secondary osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates as a possible strategy for

the prevention of bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis][Article in

Japanese]

Suzuki Y.

Tokai University School of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology.

Recent studies demonstrated that osteoclastic bone resorption played

an important role in joint destruction by rheumatoid synovium.

Bisphosphnates inhibit osteoclastic bone resorption and have been

widely used for the treatment of osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates, such

as zolendronic acid (ZA) inhibited bone destruction in animal models

of inflammatory arthritis, although the drug was not effective for the

suppression of inflammation. In early RA patients, ZA was effective to

prevent bone destruction in combination with methotrexate. Targeting

osteoclasts with bisphosphonates is an effective strategy to maintain

joint integrity when combined with anti-rheumatic therapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18057668

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