Bone mineral density in premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus.
OBJECTIVE
To study bone mineral density (BMD) in premenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate the influence of disease activity and use of corticosteroids.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study on BMD of 118 premenopausal women with SLE. Patients were divided into 2 groups, 74 who had been treated with corticosteroids and 44 who had not. BMD at lumbar spine, femoral neck, and trochanter was measured.


RESULTS
BMD in patients without and with corticosteroid treatment was 1.13 +/- 0.13 vs 1.05 +/- 0.14 g/cm2 (p = 0.005) at lumbar spine, 0.92 +/- 0.12 vs 0.86 +/- 0.12 g/cm2 (p = 0.005) at femoral neck, and 0.78 +/- 0.13 vs 0.72 +/- 0.12 g/cm2 (p = 0.014) at trochanter, respectively. Stepwise multilinear regression analysis showed that corticosteroid exposure was independently associated with decreased BMD in the corticosteroid treated patients (r2 = 7% for lumbar and 6.6% for trochanter model). No significant difference in BMD in corticosteroid treated patients appeared when they were subgrouped according to whether they were taking calcium supplements. Prevalence of osteoporosis at lumbar spine in corticosteroid treated patients was 1.4%, and was lower than reported for age and sex matched Caucasians.


CONCLUSIONS
BMD measurements were significantly lower in premenopausal SLE patients who had had corticosteroid treatment than those who had not. There was a negative correlation between BMD and corticosteroid therapy, but not disease activity. Prevalence of osteoporosis, based on lumbar spine BMD, was lower than that reported in Caucasians.
Uaratanawong
Somchai
S
Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, Bangkok Metropolitan Medical College and Vajira Hospital, 681 Samsen Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300, Thailand.
Deesomchoke
Utis
U
Lertmaharit
Somrat
S
Uaratanawong
Somsri
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000378:metabolism; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017697:Premenopause / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone; D002118:Calcium