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  • Stable bone mineral density in lumbar spine and hip in contrast to bone loss in the hands during long-term treatment with infliximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

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Stable bone mineral density in lumbar spine and hip in contrast to bone loss in the hands during long-term treatment with infliximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
  1. Danielle A Eekman1,
  2. Marijn Vis1,
  3. Irene E M Bultink1,
  4. Dirk J Kuik2,
  5. Alexandre E Voskuyl1,
  6. Ben A C Dijkmans1,3,
  7. Willem F Lems1,3
  1. 1Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  2. 2Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  3. 3Department of Rheumatology, Jan van Breemen Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherland
  1. Correspondence to Danielle A Eekman, Department of Rheumatology, VU University Medical Center, de Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; d.eekman{at}vumc.nl

https://doi.org/10.1136/ard.2009.127787

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    Osteoporosis is a well-known complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), related to disease activity, steroid use and immobility.1,–,6

    In a 1-year observational study it has been suggested that infliximab can have a positive effect on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with RA.6 In the present study, patients with RA who had been treated with infliximab for 2 years and more in the Slotervaart Hospital or the VU University Medical Center were included if BMD measurements at baseline and at 2-year intervals had been performed. Patients fulfilled the American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria and had a disease activity score in 28 joints greater than 3.2 at baseline. Infliximab (3 mg/kg) was given at 0, 2, 6 and 14 weeks and thereafter every 8 weeks.

    BMD measurements of the spine (L1–L4) …

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Ethics Committee, Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.