To study the effect of oral clodronate on structural damage and bone metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
In this 2-year proof-of-concept study, sixty patients with at least moderately active RA were randomised to receive anti-rheumatic therapy alone or together with oral clodronate 1600 mg daily. Radiographs of hands and feet and serum samples for bone biomarkers were studied at baseline and at 24 months.
At 24 months, progression of radiographic joint damage was similar in the 2 groups. Clodronate suppressed carboxyterminal cross-linked peptide of type I collagen (p=0.03) and aminoterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (p=0.01). Eight patients (27%) withdrew from clodronate therapy due to adverse drug reactions.
Oral clodronate did not retard the focal bone damage in RA despite its beneficial effect on overall bone metabolism, as judged by the decrease in the reference bone biomarkers.