Use of bisphosphonates in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis; results of a multicentre study

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the use of bisphosphonates in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Canary Islands. Material and methods: This multicentre observational study included women aged 50 years or over. At a single visit, demographic variables and those relating to the RA, history of fragility fractures, use of corticoids, performance of bone densitometry (DXA) and current treatment with bisphosphonates were recorded. The simplified FRAX (R) tool was used and the recommendations of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for the prophylaxis of osteoporosis with corticoids were applied. Results: 192 women were included, with an average age of 62 years. A total of 91 (48%) patients were receiving corticoids; 17 of these (9%) had suffered a fracture; 123 (66%) had had a DXA; and 52 (28%) were taking bisphosphonates (70% of the patients with osteoporosis or fracture and 45% of those with criteria for prophylactic use of corticoids for osteoporosis). Those factors having a significant association with the use of bisphosphonates were age, duration of the disease, the HAQ functional capacity questionnaire, the risk of fracture determined by FRAX (R), treatment with corticoids, history of fracture and the previous performance of DXA. In the multivariate study only the DXA (p=0.03) and history of fracture (p=0.02) were significantly associated. Conclusions: In postmenopausal women from the Canary Islands with RA the prescription of bisphosphonates could conform better to the guidelines, especially in patients receiving treatment with corticoids.