The bone-building drugs bisphosphonates failed to prevent the development of bone erosions in patients with longstanding tophaceous gout, according to a two-year randomized study. Published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (June 2014), researchers found no differences in changes on computed tomography (CT) erosion scores of the feet in patients treated with zoledronate (Zometa, Reclast) versus those given placebo at either year one or two. There was also no difference between zoledronate and placebo when the analysis was adjusted for mean serum urate, or the level of uric acid in the blood. The mean age of patients studied was 56, with average disease duration of 22 years, and more than 20 percent were men. Treatment consisted of 5 mg zoledronate administered intravenously once yearly or placebo.
To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid subscriber.
Sign in
