In drug news, a generic 2% diclofenac sodium solution is now available, denosumab is promising to treat osteoporosis, and the FDA has approved sarilumab to treat adults with RA…
Insufficient Evidence Regarding Osteoporosis Medications in Kidney Patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—There are insufficient data to make evidence-based decisions regarding the benefits and harms of osteoporosis medications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis. “We found low to moderate evidence for the effects of some but not all of the medications, and the evidence was limited…
Denosumab Does Not Increase Risk of Infection in RA Patients
New research dispels the fear that denosumab will increase the risk of infection in vulnerable populations with rheumatoid arthritis when it is prescribed in combination with TNF inhibitors or other biologics. Investigators found the treatment did not increase infection risk beyond what is expected for the patients’ disease, comorbidities and medications…
Denosumab Linked to Rebound-Associated Fractures in Nine Patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Patients can develop rebound-associated vertebral fractures after stopping denosumab, a new report of nine cases shows. All of the patients were considered to be at low risk of fracture, and the fractures occurred within nine to 16 months of their last injection, Dr. Olivier Lamy and colleagues from Lausanne University Hospital in Switzerland…
Proton Pump Inhibitor Use May Be Linked to Bone Mineral Density
The use of proton pump inhibitors may lead to changes in bone mineral density and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis…
FDA Approves Updated Labeling on Risk of Osteonecrosis of the Jaw for Denosumab
Denosumab’s labeling now says a patient’s risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw may increase with prolonged exposure…
Combination Therapy Bests Monotherapy in Severe Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The combination of denosumab and teriparatide improves bone microarchitecture and estimated strength more than either drug alone in women with severe postmenopausal osteoporosis, researchers have found. Dr. Joy Tsai, from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and colleagues conducted a single-site, two-year, open-label, randomized controlled trial involving 94 women aged 45 or older…
Denosumab Does Not Stimulate Early Bone Formation
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The early elevation in intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) seen with denosumab treatment is not associated with increased bone formation, according to research from Eli Lilly and Company. Denosumab is a member of the anticatabolic/antiresorptive class of drugs used to treat osteoporosis; iPTH levels are increased in the first several months after denosumab…
Teriparatide to Denosumab Switch Helpful in Osteoporosis
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—In postmenopausal osteoporotic women, changing from teriparatide to denosumab benefits bone mineral density (BMD) but switching from denosumab to teriparatide may result in bone loss, according to new research. In a July 3 online paper in The Lancet, Dr. Benjamin Z. Leder, of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues noted that many…
2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting: Rheumatologic Research Uncovers Clues to Therapies
Studies explore role of STING pathway in bone remodeling, denosumab to reduce fracture risk, autotaxin’s role in fibrosis, SSc