Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1418924
Denosumab for Bone Density Loss: Benefits vs. Risks BY ELESA SWIRGSDIN FOR SOME PATIENTS WITH DEGENER ATIVE BONE DISORDERS, THE HUMAN MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY DENOSUMAB CAN REDUCE BMD LOSS AND THE RISK FOR FR ACTURES. ONGOING RESE ARCH IS RE VE ALING THE ADVANTAGES AND RISKS. IN 2010, DENOSUMAB became the first RANK ligand inhibitor to be approved by the FDA. At the time, the drug was authorized only for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with an increased risk for bone fractures, including those with a history of fracture or who were unable to take other drugs for osteoporosis. As continued trials and research revealed the benefits of denosumab over other drugs for certain conditions that cause bone degeneration, the FDA expanded the scope of its use. Over the following decade, denosumab was approved as a therapy for steroid-induced osteoporosis, bone loss resulting from cancer treatments and men with osteoporosis. While denosumab offers advantages for some patients, it is not without risk. Recent studies have shown that discontinuation of the drug can result in a rebound phenomenon, in which the increased bone mineral density (BMD) achieved during treatment is reversed and rapid bone loss occurs, leaving some patients at even higher risk of multiple vertebral fractures. Many researchers still agree that denosumab can be a safe and effective treatment for bone density loss in many patients, but more studies are needed to determine the scope of its use, as well as its risks, compared with other therapies. LOWERING OSTEOPOROSIS FRACTURE RISK Denosumab is now among the most common drugs prescribed for bone resorption suppression in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, as it prevents high bone turnover a nd lessens the risk of osteoporotic fracture, particularly vertebral 1 0