Biologic and Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Do Not Arrest Bone Loss in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Long-Term Multicenter Observational Study - Scorecard - MDSpire
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Long-Term Multicenter Observational Study Reveals No Impact of Biologic and Targeted Synthetic DMARDs on Bone Loss in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

  • By

  • Takafumi Aritomi

  • Koshiro Sonomoto

  • Shingo Nakayamada

  • Hiroaki Tanaka

  • Atsushi Nagayasu

  • Satoshi Kubo

  • Ippei Miyagawa

  • Ayako Yamaguchi

  • Naoaki Ohkubo

  • Yasuyuki Todoroki

  • Yurie Satoh-Kanda

  • Masanobu Ueno

  • Ryuichiro Kanda

  • Yuya Fujita

  • Masashi Funada

  • Hidenori Sakai

  • Satsuki Matsunaga

  • Masayuki Shinojima

  • Hiroki Kawamura

  • Kazuki Takahashi

  • Miyabi Ando

  • Kazuki Haru

  • Yusuke Miyazaki

  • Kentaro Hanami

  • Masao Nawata

  • Shunsuke Fukuyo

  • Keisuke Nakatsuka

  • Mikiko Tokunaga

  • Kazuyoshi Saito

  • Yoshiya Tanaka

  • April 21, 2026

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Clinical Scorecard: Long-Term Multicenter Observational Study Reveals No Impact of Biologic and Targeted Synthetic DMARDs on Bone Loss in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionRheumatoid Arthritis
Key MechanismsInflammation contributes to systemic osteoporosis; b/tsDMARDs control arthritis but may not halt osteoporosis progression.
Target PopulationPatients with active Rheumatoid Arthritis initiating b/tsDMARD therapy.
Care SettingMulticenter prospective observational study.

Key Highlights

  • Systemic osteoporosis prevalence in RA is approximately twice that of the general population.
  • Only 38% to 60% of glucocorticoid users receive osteoporosis treatment.
  • b/tsDMARD therapy did not prevent significant bone mineral density loss over five years.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

  • Osteoporosis diagnosed using World Health Organization criteria.

Management

  • Osteoporosis management should consider multiple contributing factors.

Monitoring & Follow-up

  • Regular BMD assessments at specified intervals.

Risks

  • Increased fracture rates despite higher b/tsDMARD use.

Patient & Prescribing Data

1,164 patients with active RA receiving b/tsDMARDs.

b/tsDMARDs effectively control arthritis but may not improve systemic bone loss.

Clinical Best Practices

  • Implement a treat-to-target strategy to achieve remission.
  • Monitor bone health regularly in RA patients, especially those on glucocorticoids.

Related Resources & Content

Original Source(s)

Biologic and Targeted Synthetic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs Do Not Arrest Bone Loss in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Long-Term Multicenter Observational Study

  • by Takafumi Aritomi, Koshiro Sonomoto, Shingo Nakayamada, Hiroaki Tanaka, Atsushi Nagayasu, Satoshi Kubo, Ippei Miyagawa, Ayako Yamaguchi, Naoaki Ohkubo, Yasuyuki Todoroki, Yurie Satoh-Kanda, Masanobu Ueno, Ryuichiro Kanda, Yuya Fujita, Masashi Funada, Hidenori Sakai, Satsuki Matsunaga, Masayuki Shinojima, Hiroki Kawamura, Kazuki Takahashi, Miyabi Ando, Kazuki Haru, Yusuke Miyazaki, Kentaro Hanami, Masao Nawata, Shunsuke Fukuyo, Keisuke Nakatsuka, Mikiko Tokunaga, Kazuyoshi Saito, Yoshiya Tanaka

  • April 21, 2026

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