title: Vitamin D deficiency, spontaneous fractures, and osteopenia in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Spontaneous, undisplaced fractures occurred in the long bones of five patients with longstanding rheumatoid arthritis. The results of biochemical, radiological, and dietary investigations in these patients were compared with those in a larger group of elderly women with rheumatoid arthritis without fractures. A significant association between skeletal rarefaction, calcium x phosphate product, and vitamin-D intake was shown in the whole group. Bone biopsies were performed in three patients with fractures, and histological evidence of osteomalacia was found in two patients. Dietary vitamin-D deficiency seems to play an important role in causing both the fractures and the osteopenia of longstanding rheumatoid arthritis.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000652:urine; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D010018:Osteomalacia; D010710:Phosphates / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D002118:Calcium