%0 Journal Article %A M Güler-Yüksel %A J Bijsterbosch %A Y P M Goekoop-Ruiterman %A J K de Vries-Bouwstra %A H M J Hulsmans %A W M de Beus %A K H Han %A F C Breedveld %A B A C Dijkmans %A C F Allaart %A W F Lems %T Changes in bone mineral density in patients with recent onset, active rheumatoid arthritis %D 2008 %R 10.1136/ard.2007.073817 %J Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases %P 823-828 %V 67 %N 6 %X Objectives: We examined the effects of four different treatment strategies on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with recently diagnosed, active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the influence of disease-related and demographic factors on BMD loss after 1 year of follow-up in the BeSt trial.Methods: BMD measurements of the lumbar spine and total hip were performed in 342 patients with recent onset RA at baseline and after 1 year. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine independent associations between disease and demographic parameters and BMD loss after 1 year.Results: Median BMD loss after 1 year was 0.8% and 1.0% of baseline in the spine and the hip, respectively. No significant differences between the treatment groups, including corticosteroids and the anti-tumour necrosis factor-α infliximab, were observed with regard to BMD loss after 1 year of treatment. Joint damage at baseline and joint damage progression according to the Sharp–van der Heijde score were independently associated with more BMD loss after 1 year. The use of bisphosphonates independently protected against BMD loss.Conclusions: After 1 year of follow-up in the BeSt study, we did not find differences in BMD loss between the four treatment strategies, including high doses of corticosteroids and anti-tumour necrosis factor-α. Joint damage and joint damage progression are associated with high BMD loss, which emphasises that BMD loss and erosive RA have common pathways in their pathogenesis. %U https://ard.bmj.com/content/annrheumdis/67/6/823.full.pdf