title: Growth retardation and bone loss as determinants of axial osteopenia in juvenile chronic arthritis.
abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate the significance of growth retardation and bone loss as determinants of axial osteopenia in children with juvenile oligo- and polyarthritis. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone size (width), and bone volumetric density (BMDvol) were determined by dual x-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine and femoral neck in children with juvenile oligoarthritis (n = 36), polyarthritis (n = 75), and a group of healthy children (n = 66). Comparison of measurements showed that children with juvenile polyarthritis had a significantly reduced BMDvol (p < 0.05) and bone size (p < 0.01) at the lumbar spine, resulting in a 10.5% decrease in BMD (p < 0.001). At the femoral neck, the 16% decrease in BMD (p < 0.001) was attributed only to a decrease in BMDvol (p < 0.001). In juvenile oligoarthritis, the development of osteopenia was nonsignificant except at the femur, where the 6.6% decrease of BMD was associated with significant decrease of BMDvol (p < 0.05). The bone loss associated with juvenile chronic arthritis appears to develop with concurrent growth retardation at the spine, but without detectable growth retardation at the femoral neck.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatism Foundation Hospital, Heinola, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotaniemi
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018488:Bone Demineralization, Pathologic / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013131:Spine