title: Bone mineral density in women with ankylosing spondylitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women with early ankylosing spondylitis (AS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen premenopausal women with AS without syndesmophytes, interapophysiary arthritis, and/or coxofemoral joint destruction were studied. BMD was analyzed at lumbar spine and femoral neck by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (Hologic QDR 1000). Z scores and T scores related to the general Spanish population were recorded. Comparisons were performed using the Student t test. Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to study the correlation between BMD and the variables. Following the WHO classification, osteopenia was diagnosed in patients with T score between -1 and -2.5 and osteoporosis in those with T score < -2.5 at lumbar spine or femoral neck.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean Z score for spine BMD was -0.19+/-0.7, and -0.03+/-0.85 for femoral neck BMD. There were no significant differences of Z score values compared to the general population. No significant correlation was found between BMD and disease duration, radiology sacroiliac score, and spine mobility. Densitometry showed osteopenia in 2 patients and osteoporosis in none.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a slight reduction in BMD in premenopausal women with early AS, but the difference was not statistically significant. We discuss the factors related to its pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Service, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, Hospital Princeps d'Espanya, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. x.juanola@csub.scs.es
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Juanola
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nolla
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roig-Vilaseca
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Campoy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roig-Escofet
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D005272:Femur Neck; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D017697:Premenopause; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*