Increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture in women with systemic sclerosis: A comparative study with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Objective. To investigate whether women with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have an increased risk of osteoporosis (OP) and related fractures compared to a high-risk population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and also healthy controls, and to determine putative specific OP and fracture risk factors. Methods. We performed a cross-sectional study with successive inclusion of age-matched healthy women and women with SSc and RA. Risk factors for OP and fracture were collected for all patients. Bone mineral density (BMD) was systematically measured at the lumbar spine and total hip region with dual x-ray absorptiometry.

Relationship between Body Mass Composition, Bone Mineral Density, Skin Fibrosis and 25(OH) Vitamin D Serum Levels in Systemic Sclerosis

“…We found no correlation between BMD and 25OHD levels and autoantibody profile, musculo-skeletal involvement, corticosteroid treatment, duration of disease of the whole cohort of SSc patients. These findings are consistent with previous published reports [ 17 , 18 , 26 , 31 ].…”

Relationship between ectopic calcifications and bone fragility depicted on computed tomography scan in 70 patients with systemic sclerosis

“…We did not find any relationship between corticosteroid intake and bone fragility. This finding is in agreement with the literature in systemic sclerosis, 8,43 probably due to a lower cumulative dose of corticosteroids in patients with systemic sclerosis (with short period of time and/or low doses, to avoid renal involvement).…”

Vertebral fracture prevalence and measurement of the scanographic bone attenuation coefficient on CT-scan in patients with systemic sclerosis

“…On CT-scan, three patients (4.3%) presented a VF. This prevalence was in agreement with data found in the literature and with values ranging from 0 to 38% [5,7,18,20,23].…”

“…For these 30 patients, 16.7% (n=5) were diagnosed as osteoporotic on DXA. This result was in agreement with those described in the literature with values ranging from 3 to 60% [5,6,7]. We also observed that vitaminocalcic supplementation and antiresorptive treatment prescription (25.7% and 14.3%, respectively) were low in a population where most of the patients presented with at least one osteoporotic risk factor.…”