[Study of bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis treated with low dose glucocorticoids].
BACKGROUND
To study bone mineral density (BMD) in a group of postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with low doses of corticosteroids.


METHODS
One hundred and eleven patients were included. Mean age (SD) was 63.8 (8.8) years, mean duration of postmenopausal period was 16.4 (10.1) years and the mean disease duration was 12.5 (8.2) years.


RESULTS
A significant reduction of lumbar BMD (p < 0.05) and femoral BMD (p < 0.0001) was observed. The prevalence of osteoporosis was of 47%.


CONCLUSIONS
The study supports, in the Spanish population, that postmenopausal women with RA treated with low doses of corticosteroids, have low BMD. We consider that the prevalence of osteoporosis in these patients is high.
Nolla
J M
JM
Servicio de Reumatología, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona.
Fiter
J
J
Gómez Vaquero
C
C
Mateo
L
L
Valverde
J
J
Roig Escofet
D
D
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D017698:Postmenopause; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013256:Steroids
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D013256:Steroids