The effect of low-dose prednisone on bone mineral density in Peruvian rheumatoid arthritis patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the difference between bone mineral density (BMD) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on low-dose prednisone and matched RA patients without prior systemic corticosteroid therapy.


METHODS
Ninety patients attending our clinics and receiving 10 mg/day of prednisone or less for at least the previous 3 consecutive months were studied. The control group comprised 90 selected RA patients without corticosteroid therapy matched for age, race, gender, disease duration, use of methotrexate, postmenopause, and Health Assessment Questionnaire score. The BMD was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
Patients on prednisone had lower BMD than controls (0.94 +/- 0.17 vs 0.96 +/- 0.17 for L2-4 and 0.73 +/- 0.14 vs 0.76 +/- 0.16 for femoral neck), but these differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). In post hoc analysis, postmenopausal women on prednisone had more bone loss in femoral neck than controls (0.68 +/- 0.13 vs 0.74 +/- 0.15).


CONCLUSIONS
Bone mineral density was not significantly reduced by low-dose prednisone in this diverse group of RA patients. A reduction in hip BMD was seen in postmenopausal women on prednisone.
Chung
Cecilia P
CP
Division of Rheumatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Russell
Anthony S
AS
Segami
Maria I
MI
Ugarte
César A
CA
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010568:Peru; D017698:Postmenopause; D011241:Prednisone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012737:Sex Factors
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D011241:Prednisone