[The receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) is an essential cytokine for the formation and activation of osteoclasts. RANK, expressed on osteoclasts, interacts with RANKL, produced by osteoblasts and stromal cells. RANK-RANKL interaction is involved in osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption underlying metabolic bone diseases, arthritis, malignant bone disorders and some vascular diseases. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) physiologically counterbalance the action of RANKL. Several factors including estrogens, citokines and others regulate the RANKL-OPG ratio and thus bone resorption. RANKL blockade using recombinant OPG or anti-RANKL antibody may prevent bone loss in osteoporosis, chronic inflammatory and vascular disorders, as well as tumors. Active vaccination and gene therapy are further future perspectives in therapy. All these treatment modalities may be included in the future management of bone and vascular diseases.]

[The largest group of the patients with osteoporosis is postmenopausal women characterized by a state of menopausal hormone deficiency which is results in accelerated bone loss. This increased bone resorption significantly elevates the risk of bone fractures including the most common type, i.e. vertebral fractures. In addition to the increased risk of fractures, estrogen deficiency affects other organs, thus, increasing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, mood disorders and the symptoms of menopausal syndrome in women after menopause. In postmenopausal osteoporosis, the primary objective is to maintain the existing bone mass, a priority for the prevention and treatment of bone fractures. Hormone deficiency may be prevented by the administration of estrogen but the treatment may have adverse effects such as increased risk of endometrial cancer. An etiological therapy is desirable where the compound used for treatment exerts effects similar to that of estrogen to prevent postmenopausal bone loss as well as reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease without the stimulation of reproductive tissues.]

[Recurrent osteoporotic bone fractures are less and less considered “natural”, due to the immense variety of products available for treatment. In order to prevent recurrent fractures, treatment should be started in time, and a careful approach is needed to choose the appropriate treatment, and, if needed, to switch therapy. When choosing the therapeutic approach, we have to decide whether it corresponds to the severity of the osteoporosis and the risk of fracture. In order to do this, we have to consider bone quality, previous fractures, the condition of cortical bones and the mode of action of the selected treatment, in addition to the easily evaluated density value. The aim of this article is to provide practical help for the above mentioned decisionmaking process.]

[AIM: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is commonly associated with secondary osteoporosis.The BsmI polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. However, little data is available on the relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and the BsmI polymorphism. In this study, Hungarian frequencies of BsmI polymorphism genotypes were compared with those found in other countries. METHODS: In this study, 64 RA patients and 40 healthy controls were tested for VDR gene BsmI polymorphism genotypes.The frequencies of the B and b alleles were correlated with densitometric and laboratory markers of bone metabolism as well as with laboratory markers of arthritis. RESULTS: Among control subjects, the frequency of the BB genotype (27,5%) was relatively higher than in other European populations. In RA patients with secondary osteopenia/osteoporosis the BB genotype was rarer, while the bb was more common than in control subjects. Markers of bone metabolism showed that the presence of the B allele in RA patients was associated with a lower bone mineral density and an increased bone loss, while the bb genotype was associated with a higher bone mineral content. An increased osteoclast and osteoblast activity was observed in patients with the B allele, as determined by biochemical markers of bone metabolism. Rheumatoid factor titer, an important laboratory marker of disease progression in RA, was significantly higher in bb patients compared to patients carrying the B allele. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the imbalance in B and b allele expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and perhaps of rheumatoid arthritis.]

[The treatment of osteoporosis and its consequences place a significant burden on the health care of developed countries. Modern therapeutical approaches are able to efficiently decrease the risk of osteoporotic bone fractures. However, we do not know whether the interventions introduced in the past 15 years have significantly reduced the number of osteoporotic fractures in real life, and if they have, how cost-effective this effect was. To answer these questions, we have analysed data of the Hungarian National Insurance Company collected between 2004-2010. During these 7 years, the number of bone fractures among patients treated for osteoporosis continuously decreased. This was also observed in the incidence of hip fractures. Interestingly, the mortality of osteoporotic patients was significantly lower than that of the same age group in the average population. Besides the efficient treatment of osteoporosis, this finding is also due to the outstanding general care provided by the specialised osteoporosis centers of the country. As a consequence of the reduction in fractures, 3.4 billion HUF was saved per year by the insurance company, which is approximately equal to the 3.5 billion HUF spent on the reimbursement of medicines used for the treatment of osteoporosis, which means that the investments show a return. The calculation of the quality- adjusted life years, which is the internationally accepted method of the WHO for the study of cost-effectiveness, shows that the above results were achieved in a remarkably cost-efficient way. At the same time, it is noteworthy and calls for caution that the decrease in reimbursement by the insurance company in 2007 resulted in a 51% drop in the number of patients receiving treatment, which radically reduced the observed efficiency.]