Anti-tumor Necrosis Factor Therapy Increased Spine and Femoral Neck Bone Mineral Density of Patients with Active Ankylosing Spondylitis with Low Bone Mineral Density.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with low BMD.

METHODS

Eighty-nine patients with active AS with low BMD were randomly divided into either a study group or a control group. The study group received etanercept (50 mg/week) or adalimumab (40 mg/2 week) subcutaneously for 1 year. BMD of lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bone turnover markers serum C telopeptide of type-I collagen (sCTX) and serum procollagen type-I N propeptide (PINP) were detected by ELISA at baseline and at end of study.

RESULTS

After 1 year, compared with baseline, there was a significant increase in spine and femoral neck BMD by a mean ± SD of 14.9% ± 15.6% (p < 0.0001) and 4.7% ± 7.9% (p < 0.0001) in the study group. In the control group, there was a significant decrease in spine and femoral neck BMD by a mean ± SD of -8.6% ± 9.7% (p < 0.0001) and -9.8% ± 11.5% (p < 0.0001). Compared with baseline, sCTX was significantly decreased in the study group (-40% at 1 yr, p < 0.0001), but bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and PINP increased (45.6%, p < 0.0001 and 30.8%, p < 0.0001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In patients with active AS with low BMD, the spine and femoral neck BMD increased after anti-TNF therapy for 1 year, and it was accompanied by a significant decrease in bone resorption markers and an increase in bone formation markers.