Denosumab significantly improves bone mineral density with or without bisphosphonate pre-treatment in osteoporosis with rheumatoid arthritis : Denosumab improves bone mineral density in osteoporosis with rheumatoid arthritis

The effect of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on bone homeostasis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients

The autoimmune disease known as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been linked to the deterioration of bone. Bone erosion is a hallmark of RA and is linked to the severity of the disease as well as a poor functional result. Erosion of periarticular cortical bone is a common feature seen on plain radiographs of patients with RA. This characteristic feature is the result of excessive bone resorption and inadequate formation of bone. It has been determined that there is a complex interaction between the inflammatory condition seen in RA and bone destruction. Increased knowledge of the pathways and other mechanisms involved in osteoclastogenesis has resulted from advances in both animal and clinical investigations. Also, Biological and targeted medicines have modified RA's bone metabolism. Here, we provide a narrative overview of the literature on the pathomechanisms of bone structure involved in biological and targeted treatments for RA and also, the clinical implications of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are discussed. In light of the fact that these newer treatments present patients with RA with new possibilities for disease improvement and symptom control, it is imperative that additional rigorous evidence be gathered to provide a clinical reference for both patients and their treating physicians.

A bibliometric research based on hotspots and frontier trends of denosumab

Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets and inhibits the osteoclast activating factor receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). It has been widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis, giant cell tumors of bone, and in the prevention of malignant skeletal-related events (SREs). We collected the research results and related MeSH terms of denosumab from 2011 to 2021 through the Web of Science and PubMed, respectively. The literature was visualized and analyzed by CiteSpace and bibliometric online analysis platforms. The MeSH terms were biclustered using the Bibliographic Co-Occurrence Analysis System (BICOMB) and graph clustering toolkit (gCLUTO). The results show that the number of denosumab-related annual publications had increased from 51 to 215, with the United States leading and Amgen Inc. being the most influential in the past 10 years. Articles published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research had the highest total citations. Three scholars from Shinshu University in Matsumoto, Yukio Nakamura, Takako Suzuki, and Hiroyuki Kato, joined the field relatively late but produced the most. The clinical comparison and combination of denosumab with other drugs in the treatment of osteoporosis was the most significant focus of research. Drug withdrawal rebound and management strategies have gained more attention and controversy recently. MeSH analysis revealed eight major categories of research hotspots. Among them, exploring the multiple roles of the RANK-RANKL-OPG system in tumor progression, metastasis, and other diseases is the potential direction of future mechanism research. It is a valuable surgical topic to optimize the perioperative drug administration strategy for internal spinal fixation and orthopedic prosthesis implantation. Taken together, the advantages of denosumab were broad and cost-effective. However, there were still problems such as osteonecrosis of the jaw, severe hypocalcemia, a high recurrence rate of giant cells in the treatment of bone and individual sarcoidosis, and atypical femoral fractures, which need to be adequately solved.

Harpagoside attenuates local bone Erosion and systemic osteoporosis in collagen-induced arthritis in mice

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes local bone erosion and systemic osteoporosis. Harpagoside (HAR), an iridoid glycoside, has various pharmacological effects on pain, arthritis, and inflammation. Our previous study suggests that HAR is more deeply involved in the mechanism of bone loss caused by inflammatory stimuli than hormonal changes. Here, we identified the local and systemic bone loss inhibitory effects of HAR on RA and its intracellular mechanisms using a type 2 collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mouse model.

Methods

The anti-osteoporosis and anti-arthritic effects of HAR were evaluated on bone marrow macrophage in vitro and CIA in mice in vivo by obtaining clinical scores, measuring hind paw thickness and inflammatory cytokine levels, micro-CT and histopathological assessments, and cell-based assay.

Results

HAR markedly reduced the clinical score and incidence rate of CIA in both the prevention and therapy groups. Histological analysis demonstrated that HAR locally ameliorated the destruction of bone and cartilage and the formation of pannus. In this process, HAR decreased the expression of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in the serum of CIA mice. Additionally, HAR downregulated the expression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand and upregulated that of osteoprotegerin. HAR suppressed systemic bone loss by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast marker gene expression in a CIA mouse model.

Conclusions

Taken together, these findings show the beneficial effect of HAR on local symptoms and systemic bone erosion triggered by inflammatory arthritis.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03694-y.

Personalized Therapeutic Strategies in the Management of Osteoporosis in Patients with Autoantibody-Positive Rheumatoid Arthritis

Bone mineral density (BMD) reduction and fragility fractures still represent a major source of morbidity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, despite adequate control of the disease. An increasing number of clinical and experimental evidence supports the role of autoantibodies, especially anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), in causing localized and generalised bone loss in ways that are both dependent on and independent of inflammation and disease activity. The human receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B and its ligand—the so-called RANK-RANKL pathway—is known to play a key role in promoting osteoclasts’ activation and bone depletion, and RANKL levels were shown to be higher in ACPA-positive early untreated RA patients. Thus, ACPA-positivity can be considered a specific risk factor for systemic and periarticular bone loss. Through the inhibition of the RANK-RANKL system, denosumab is the only antiresorptive drug currently available that exhibits both a systemic anti-osteoporotic activity and a disease-modifying effect when combined with conventional synthetic or biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Thus, the combination of DMARD and anti-RANKL therapy could be beneficial in the prevention of fragility fractures and structural damage in the subset of RA patients at risk of radiographic progression, as in the presence of ACPAs.

Therapeutic efficacy of denosumab for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Denosumab is used for osteoporosis because it inhibits osteoclast maturation and suppresses bone resorption. Although denosumab is expected to inhibit the bone erosion in RA, its therapeutic efficacy is not well established. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of denosumab on RA through a meta-analysis.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were searched for original studies providing information on BMD, joint destruction and disease activity in denosumab-treated RA. A random-effects model was used in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 367 studies identified, 18 met the selection criteria. The BMDs of the lumbar spine, total hip and femoral neck at 12 months after denosumab treatment increased by 5.27% (95% CI: 4.37, 6.18), 2.82% (2.46, 3.18) and 3.07% (2.66, 3.48), respectively. In the sensitivity analysis, age and sex tended to influence the effect of denosumab therapy on the rate of variation of BMD, but not glucocorticoid use. The changes in the modified total sharp, erosion and joint space narrowing scores at 12 months after denosumab treatment were significantly smaller with denosumab than with placebo, although the DAS did not change after denosumab treatment.

CONCLUSION

Although denosumab has an inhibitory effect on the bone resorption in RA, its effects might be influenced by the age and sex of RA patients, but not by glucocorticoid use.

The Efficacy of Denosumab in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of Randomized or Matched Data

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of denosumab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

The Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant clinical studies. Studies that assessed the efficacy of denosumab in patients with RA were identified. The primary endpoints were the percent changes in bone mineral density (BMD), and the changes in modified total Sharp score (mTSS), modified Sharp erosion score and joint space narrowing (JSN) score. Pooled analyses were calculated using random-effect models.

Results

After searching the literature and performing further detailed assessments, 10 studies with a total of 1758 patients were included in the quantitative analysis. Pooled analyses showed that denosumab treatment significantly increased the percent changes in lumbar spine BMD [mean difference (MD): 5.12, confidence intervals (CI): 4.15 to 6.09], total hip BMD (MD: 2.72, 95% CI: 1.80 to 3.64) and femoral neck BMD (MD: 2.20, 95% CI: 0.94 to 3.46) compared with controls. Moreover, denosumab treatment significantly decreased the changes in mTSS (MD: -0.63, 95% CI: -0.86 to -0.41) and modified Sharp erosion score (MD: -0.62, 95% CI: -0.88 to -0.35). Subgroup analysis indicated that denosumab was superior to bisphosphonates for the improvement of BMD and the mitigation of joint destruction.

Conclusion

Denosumab treatment was associated with increased BMD and alleviated progression of joint destruction in RA patients, even when compared with bisphosphonates.

Clinical Observations of Osteoporosis in Japanese Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Osteoporosis is the one of the major adverse outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, we and others have been reported many clinical observations related to osteoporosis in Japanese RA patients. In this article, I reviewed these findings. Japanese patients with RA have a two-fold risk of fractures compared with those without RA. Among the fractures in Japanese RA patients, three quarters of the fractures were non-vertebral fractures. The incidence of non-vertebral fractures did not change, despite an improvement in RA disease activity. Older age, female gender, history of fractures, history of total knee replacements, disease activity scores in 28 joints (DAS28), health assessment questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI), low bone mineral density, glucocorticoid dose, and vitamin D deficiency were significantly associated with fractures. Older age, high body mass index (BMI), HAQ-DI, and polypharmacy were significantly associated with falls. BMI (both overweight and underweight), DAS28, and HAQ-DI were significantly associated with frailty. Half and three quarters of Japanese men and women with RA had vitamin D deficiency, respectively. The incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw may be higher in Japanese RA patients than those without RA. Undertreatment of osteoporosis appears to exist in Japanese patients with RA.

The analgesic efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND

To explore the analgesic efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave (ESW) combined with percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) after reduction in overextension position in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fractures in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

The data of postmenopausal women with osteoporotic thoracolumbar compression fracture admitted in our department from January 2017 to October 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. They were divided into groups of unipedicular percutaneous kyphoplasty (U-PKP n = 21), bipedicular PKP (B-PKP n = 20), and ESW combined with PVP after reduction in overextension position (EP-PVP n = 18). The improvement of pain and vertebral height in three groups was compared.

RESULTS

Postoperative compression rate and Cobb angle of vertebral fractures in the three groups were all lower than those before surgery, and the differences between pre-operation and post-operation were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) scores of the three groups decreased significantly after the operation (P < 0.05). The ODI scores of the EP-PVP group in the third months after the operation were significantly improved compared with the other two groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In our small-sample study, all three treatment schemes can treat osteoporotic compression fracture of thoracolumbar vertebrae in postmenopausal women, relieve pain, and improve quality of life. ESW combined with PVP after reduction in overextension position could achieve a good vertebral reduction rate and improve kyphosis, and may reduce the application of analgesic drugs.

Analysis of the subsequent treatment of osteoporosis by transitioning from bisphosphonates to denosumab, using quantitative computed tomography: A prospective cohort study

Purpose

Denosumab reduces bone resorption and improves bone mineral density (BMD). Studies have analyzed subsequent treatment transitioning from bisphosphonates to denosumab based on dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning (DXA). Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) can help assess cortical and trabecular bones separately in three dimensions without the interference of the surrounding osteophytes. In the present study, we analyzed the subsequent treatment transition from bisphosphonates to denosumab using QCT.

Methods

Thirty-two patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis to be treated with denosumab were recruited. The patients were divided into two groups (15 prior bisphosphonate and 17 naïve) based on their previous treatment. BMD of the lumbar spine and hip were evaluated by DXA and QCT at baseline and 12 months following denosumab treatment.

Results

The percentage change in volumetric BMD assessed by QCT at 12 months significantly improved in the naïve group compared with that in the prior bisphosphonate group. The region-specific assessment of femur at 12 months revealed that denosumab treatment was effective in both cortical and trabecular bones except the trabecular region of the prior bisphosphonate group.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that although denosumab treatment was useful in both treatment groups, BMD increase was significantly higher in the naïve group than in the prior-bisphosphonate group. Interestingly, in the prior-bisphosphonate group, denosumab treatment was more effective in the cortical region than the trabecular region. Our study offers insights into the subsequent treatment and permits greater confidence when switching to denosumab from bisphosphonates.

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We analyzed the treatment transition from bisphosphonates to denosumab using QCT.

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Percentage change in volumetric BMD at 12 months significantly improved in the naïve group.

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Denosumab treatment was more effective on the cortical region than the trabecular region.

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Our study offers insights into the subsequent treatment when switching to denosumab.

Effect of denosumab switched from bisphosphonates in preventing joint destruction in postmenopausal rheumatoid arthritis patients with anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to determine the effects of denosumab treatment on the joint destruction of Japanese females with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective longitudinal study included 56 patients treated with denosumab and 50 patients treated with bisphosphonate. All participants were positive for anti-CCP antibodies. All patients also had a history of osteoporosis treatment with bisphosphonate, which was either continued or switched to 60 mg of subcutaneous denosumab injection every 6 months. To assess the progression of joint destruction, hand and foot radiographs were taken, and changes in modified total Sharp score (mTSS), erosion score (ERO), and joint space narrowing score (JSN) were evaluated at 12 months and 24 months. The changes in BMD of the lumbar spine and hip were also assessed at 12 months.

RESULTS

At 12 months, there were significant differences in the change of ERO (p = 0.015) and mTSS (p = 0.01). Similarly, there were significant differences in the change of ERO (p = 0.013) and mTSS (p = 0.003) at 24 months. In contrast, no significant difference was observed in the changes of JSN and clinical parameters. There were significant differences in the changes in BMD in the femoral neck (p = 0.011) and total hip (p = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

Denosumab treatment might be effective for the inhibition of bone erosion progression in the patients with RA, and it potentially contributes to the treatment of osteoporosis and prevention of destructive arthritis in patients with switching treatment from bisphosphonate.

The impact of long-term biologics/target therapy on bone mineral density in rheumatoid arthritis: a propensity score-matched analysis

OBJECTIVES

To investigate changes in BMD in RA patients receiving 3-year biological/targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARD) or conventional synthetic DMARD (csDMARD).

METHODS

Patients with RA were recruited from September 2014 until March 2019. Clinical characteristics, BMD and evidence of fragility fractures at enrolment were documented. Participants were treated according to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines over a 3-year observation period. Repeated BMD was measured at the end of the study period. Participants were grouped into those receiving b/tsDMARD or csDMARD and by propensity score matching (1:2).

RESULTS

A total of 388 participants completed the 3-year follow-up. After propensity score matching, 92 and 184 participants were allocated to the b/tsDMARD (Group I) and csDMARD (Group II), respectively. After 3 years, BMD remained stable at the femoral neck (FN), hip (total) (TH) and lumbar vertebra (L1-4) (P =0.09, 0.15, 0.87) in Group I. However, BMD decreased significantly in Group II (P=0.045, <0.001, 0.004) at corresponding sites. Participants receiving combined b/tsDMARD and anti-osteoporosis therapy experienced a greater BMD preserving effect than other subgroups.

CONCLUSION

Long-term b/tsDMARDs therapy had protective effects on bone loss for patients with RA. Patients receiving concomitant anti-osteoporosis therapy and b/tsDMARDs therapy experienced the greatest BMD preserving effect.

Effects of denosumab on bone mineral density and bone turnover markers in rheumatoid arthritis patients switching from bisphosphonates

BACKGROUND

To compare the efficacy of 12-month denosumab treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers (BTMs) between treatment-naïve osteoporosis patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and those with previous bisphosphonate (BP) therapy.

METHODS

A total of 36 RA patients with osteoporosis completed 12-month follow-up. Twenty-five patients were osteoporotic treatment-naïve (naïve group), and 11 patients were previously treated with BPs (switch group) (average 7.9 years). BMD and BTMs were measured before and 6 and 12 months after treatment.

RESULTS

BTM levels were higher in the naïve group at baseline. However, the same level of suppression was achieved at 6 months in both groups. Spine BMD increased significantly in both groups. There was no significant difference in the mean percent changes of BMD of the spine (naïve group: 6.8 ± 0.8, switch group: 5.1 ± 1.5), femoral neck (2.9 ± 1.4, 2.9 ± 1.3), and total hip (1.7 ± 0.9, 1.4 ± 1.1) between these two groups at 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The effects of denosumab on BMD and BTMs of the switch group after long-term BP treatment are comparable to those of the naïve group in RA patients. Thus, switching BPs to denosumab is one of the useful options to treat osteoporosis with RA.

Tart Cherry Prevents Bone Loss through Inhibition of RANKL in TNF-Overexpressing Mice

Current drugs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis-associated bone loss come with concerns about their continued use. Thus, it is necessary to identify natural products with similar effects, but with fewer or no side effects. We determined whether tart cherry (TC) could be used as a supplement to prevent inflammation-mediated bone loss in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-overexpressing transgenic (TG) mice. TG mice were assigned to a 0%, 5%, or 10% TC diet, with a group receiving infliximab as a positive control. Age-matched wild-type (WT) littermates fed a 0% TC diet were used as a normal control. Mice were monitored by measurement of body weight. Bone health was evaluated via serum biomarkers, microcomputed tomography (µCT), molecular assessments, and mechanical testing. TC prevented TNF-mediated weight loss, while it did not suppress elevated levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. TC also protected bone structure from inflammation-induced bone loss with a reduced ratio of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)/osteoprotegerin (OPG) to a degree comparable to infliximab. Furthermore, unlike with infliximab, TC exhibited a moderate improvement in TNF-mediated decline in bone stiffness. Thus, TC could be used as a prophylactic regimen against future fragility fractures in the context of highly chronic inflammation.

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation with 3-year denosumab treatment is beneficial to enhance bone mineral density in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis

Background

This 3-year retrospective study compared the outcomes of bisphosphonate-pretreated denosumab therapy with or without vitamin D and calcium supplementation in postmenopausal osteoporosis (OP) patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials and methods

Fifty-eight patients under long-term denosumab treatment were divided into groups without (denosumab group; 31 cases) or with (combination group; 27 cases) vitamin D and calcium supplementation. The bone markers of BAP, TRACP-5b, and urinary NTX were measured at baseline and every year for 3 years. We also evaluated bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar 1–4 vertebrae (L-BMD) and bilateral total hips (H-BMD) at the same time points.

Results

There were no significant differences in the percent changes of serum albumin-corrected calcium between the groups. The percent change in TRACP-5b was significantly higher in the combination group at 2 years. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status was persistently high during therapy in both groups, with significant percent increases over baseline at 2 and 6 months in both groups and at 24 months in the combination group. The percent increase from baseline of serum zinc was significantly higher at 3 years in the combination group over the denosumab group. L-BMD and H-BMD were significantly increased at every time point for 3 years vs pretreatment levels in both groups and were significantly higher in the combination group at all time points.

Conclusion

Compared with denosumab monotherapy, the combination group displayed significantly increased serum zinc, L-BMD, and H-BMD at 3 years in OP patients with RA. Thus, calcium and vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial to enhance BMD gains, but not necessarily 25-hydroxyvitamin D status, in patients with OP and RA under denosumab.

Efficacy of denosumab in two cases with multiple-system atrophy and osteoporosis

Background

Multiple-system atrophy (MSA) is an α-synucleinopathy with a very aggressive course and poor prognosis, which lacks efficient treatment. Thus, MSA represents a serious health and social problem. Progressive stridor and acute laryngeal obstruction likely occur in MSA; however, little is known about the bone metabolism or efficacy of bone absorption drugs, such as denosumab, in osteoporosis with MSA.

Case presentation and methods

Two male patients with osteoporosis in MSA presented to our institution (at 54 and 68 years of age). Denosumab was started after the diagnosis of osteoporosis in MSA, and the therapy was continued for 18–24 months.

Results

Lumbar and hip bone mineral density showed a 3.5% and 0.6% increase at 24 months or a 10.3% and 3.2% increase at 18 months, respectively. Bone turnover markers were also improved in the two cases during follow-up. No fractures or other complications were recorded during the observation period.

Conclusion

This is the first study describing osteoporosis in two patients with MSA being treated by osteoporotic treatment. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that denosumab may be an effective therapy for osteoporosis in MSA.

Effects of denosumab on bone metabolism and bone mineral density with anti-TNF inhibitors, tocilizumab, or abatacept in osteoporosis with rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

The aim of this 18-month retrospective study was to evaluate the differences in outcomes of denosumab with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFis), tocilizumab (TCZ), or abatacept (ABT) treatment in osteoporosis (OP) patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Patients and methods

Patients were divided into TNFis-treated (TNF group; 44 cases), TCZ-treated (TCZ group; 8 cases), or ABT-treated (ABT group; 14 cases) groups. We measured serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b) at baseline and every 3 months for 18 months and assessed bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar 1–4 vertebrae (L-BMD) and total hip BMD (H-BMD) at baseline and every 6 months for 18 months.

Results

There were no significant differences in the percent changes in BAP, TRACP-5b, or L-BMD among the groups. The percent change in H-BMD was significantly increased in the TCZ group at 12 months or at 12 and 18 months, compared with that in the ABT group or TNF group, respectively. The percent change in L-BMD was significantly increased at 12 months in the TCZ and TNF groups, and at 18 months in all the 3 groups compared with pretreatment levels, whereas the percent change in H-BMD was significantly higher at 6, 12, and 18 months in the TCZ group, at 12 and 18 months in the TNF group, and at 18 months in the ABT group, compared with pretreatment levels.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that TCZ might be more useful than TNF or ABT in light of the observed H-BMD increases with denosumab therapy for OP patients with RA.