title: The effect of long-term glucocorticoids on bone metabolism in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: the prevalence of its anti-inflammatory action upon bone resorption.
abstract: The study was made to evaluate bone turnover in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients undergoing long-term glucocorticoid therapy. Thirty-eight female patients with established SLE were compared with a control group consisting from 160 age-matched healthy women. Serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines: interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and some biochemical markers of osteoporosis (osteocalcin, total and bone alkaline phosphatase, procollagen type I carboxyterminal propeptide, carboxyterminal telopeptides of type I collagen--CTx) were measured. Additionally, morning urine excretions of deoxypyridinoline and calcium/creatinin ratios were determined. The forearm densitometry (DXA) was performed in all patients. Bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in the SLE group was not significantly different from the controls, and no relationship was found between the glucocorticoid exposure and the BMC/BMD. However, biochemical markers of bone resorption--CTx and calcium/creatinin ratio--were significantly increased in the patient group. Our results suggest that BMD/BMC is preserved in glucocorticoid-treated SLE patients despite accelerated bone turnover.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Karol Marcinkowski School of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland. ikorcz@post.pl
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Korczowska
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olewicz-Gawlik
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hrycaj
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lacki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003094:Collagen