NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The RANKL inhibitor denosumab is superior to the bisphosphonate risedronate in increasing bone-mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine in patients just starting or continuing steroid therapy, according to 12-month results of a 24-month randomized controlled study. “Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is the most common form of secondary osteoporosis and increases the risk of…
Abatacept Plus Prednisone Therapy Studied for Treating Giant Cell Arteritis
A recent study, conducted by the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium and funded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), examined whether the addition of abatacept, a drug that affects T cell activation, to standard prednisone treatment could reduce the risk of relapse in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).1 Although…
A New Approach to Fracture Prevention
Glucocorticoids are widely prescribed by rheumatologists, and the effects of daily and cumulative doses of these drugs on bone mineral density (BMD) are important elements of a draft clinical guideline document presented on Nov. 13 at the 2016 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Leaders of the ACR guideline project discussed their recommendations at the…
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…
New Large-Vessel Vasculitis Therapies Emerge, but Better Options Still Needed
LONDON—New therapies are emerging for the two main forms of large-vessel vasculitis, giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu’s arteritis—particularly biologic therapies. But for just about every available treatment gap, drawbacks or limited evidence remain, with the results needing to be borne out in larger trials, an expert said at the Annual Congress of the European…
How to Manage Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Recognizing the need to provide guidance on the current disparate management of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in collaboration with the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), recently published the first international set of recommendations for the screening, treatment and management of PMR.1,2 Specifically, the recommendations offer guidance on the use of…
Glucocorticoid Found to Increase Bone Mineral Density in Mouse Study
Recent research suggests the lymphocyte-suppressive effect of dexamethasone may underlie the glucocorticoid’s effect on building trabecular bone density
New Assay Aids In Evaluating Metabolic Effects of Glucocorticoids
Test measures efficacy of compounds for treating arthritis and their effect on glucose kinetics
EULAR 2014: Collaboration Among Rheumatology Groups Expected to Build
ACR, European League Against Rheumatism, other groups, to work together creating disease criteria and response sets, patient management guidelines
EULAR 2014: Research on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Spondyloarthritis
Latest findings on rheumatological drug therapies, including methotrexate for RA, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors for SpA