title: Osteopenia in rheumatoid arthritis: a biochemical, hormonal and histomorphometric study.
abstract: To determine whether the osteopenia of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is due to reduction of trabecular bone mass (TBV) and/or cortical width (CW), we evaluated these parameters by bone histomorphometry; we also measured the calciotropic hormones parathormone(PTH) and calcitonin (CT), vitamin D [25(OH)D] and the biological markers of bone remodeling in a group of patients with RA. Study subjects were divided into Group C - premenopausal patients, and Group A - menopausal patients and men of the same ages. These groups were compared to two age-matched control groups, B and D. In both A vs. B and C vs. D, TBV and CW were significantly lower in patients. There were no differences in PTH or CT, but 25(OH)D was significantly reduced, and BGP, OHP/Cr and AP were raised in patients. Patients also exhibited TBV loss in more than 55% and CW loss in more than 98%. These changes suggest that the decline in bone mass, mainly cortical, but also trabecular, is due to increased bone turnover and enhanced resorption and seem to reflect intrinsic alterations of RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical School, Universidad de Alcalá de Henares; Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rico
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Hernandez
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gomez-Castresana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yague
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cabranes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000032:analysis; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000032:analysis; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000032:analysis; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D015675:Osteocalcin; D002116:Calcitonin; D003404:Creatinine; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D002118:Calcium