Abstract
Denosumab is indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and men at an increased risk of fracture, for treating bone loss resulting from hormone ablation in men, and for addressing bone loss associated with long-term systemic glucocorticoid therapy. It inhibits the progression of bone erosions while increasing bone mineral density in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who are treated with methotrexate and other conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARD).
Denosumab suppresses the development of marginal joint erosions and preferentially reduces the progression of joint destruction in RA patients with autoantibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides. It is the first drug that is effective both in treating osteoporosis and in suppressing the development of joint erosions in RA patients treated with csDMARD.
Therefore, adding denosumab to the treatment of RA patients may represent a new therapeutic option.