RESEARCH - Remicade stops bone loss at hip, but not spine or hand, in early RA

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Infliximab Stops Bone Loss at Hip, but Not Spine or Hand, in Early

Rheumatoid Arthritis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Dec 24 - In patients with active early

rheumatoid arthritis (RA), adding infliximab to methotrexate can

arrest bone loss at the hip, but not at the spine or hand, researchers

report in the ls of the Rheumatic Diseases for December.

The study also suggests " strong evidence of a causal link between

inflammation and bone loss in RA, " according to Dr. P. Emery, from the

University of Leeds, UK, and colleagues.

In a 1-year double-blind randomized trial, the investigators gave 10

patients with active, early poor prognosis RA infliximab plus

methotrexate, and 10 similar patients placebo plus methotrexate.

The results, the investigators write, " showed that inflammatory bone

loss was successfully arrested at the hip but not at the hand or

lumbar spine. This has not previously been shown in a double-blind

randomized study design. "

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Read the entire article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/714295

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